Interaction of metals and carbon tetrachloride on lipid peroxidation and hepatotoxicity

Rats were administered ferrous sulfate, cadmium chloride, or sodium vanadate alone and in combination with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to determine if lipid peroxidation is associated with the toxicity of the three metals and to determine if there is an interaction between these metals and CCl4 in producing lipid peroxidation and hepatotoxicity. Expired ethane was used as an index of lipid peroxidation while serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and histopathology were used to assess liver damage. Lipid peroxidation did not appear to be associated with the hepatotoxicity of cadmium since no measurable increase in ethane production was observed when serum ALT concentrations were doubled relative to controls. Cadmium did not increase ethane when administered with CCl4 and the increase in ALT was additive. Iron and vanadate produced small significant increases in ethane production but no increase in ALT and only minor histopathologic changes, yet potentiated lipid peroxidation and liver damage when administered with CCl4. Thus, Cd did not produce lipid peroxidation and did not potentiate the lipid peroxidation and hepatotoxicity of CCl4, while iron or vanadate which produced lipid peroxidation alone potentiated the lipid peroxidation and hepatotoxicity of CCl4.