Histological, histochemical and biochemical effects of cadmium chloride in female koel (Eudynamys scolopacea)

Effects of single subcutaneous injection (1.5 mg/100 g body weight) of cadmium chloride were studied in the ovary, oviduct, thyroid and adrenal gland of Indian koel (Eudynamys scolopacea). Treatment resulted the significant decrease (p less than 0.001) in the weight of ovary and oviduct. The stromal tissue showed hyperaemia and profused haemorrhage leading to some cellular destruction. A marked degeneration was noticed in the lamina propria of magnum. No remarkable change occured in thyroid histology. An increment of alkaline phosphatase activity was pronounced in ovarian tissue as well as in magnum after the injection. An overall reduction of periodic acid Schiff reaction was noticed in both ovary and oviduct after the salt treatment. The experiment caused a significant reduction of eponephrine content (p less than 0.001) in hypertrophied adrenal medulla. The cortical tissues, however, unaltered in their histomorphology. The loss of total amount of cholesterol (p less than 0.05) from the adrenal gland after the experimentation was recorded. It has been suggested that the augmentation of epinephrine secretion suppressed the gonadal acitivty.