Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known nephrotoxic agent. Cd-induced renal dysfunction has been considered as one of the causes leading to the development of
hypertension. The correlation between Cd concentration in blood and urine and
cardiovascular diseases has been discussed in many epidemiological studies. A
therapy with
chelating agents is utilized for the treatment of toxic
metal intoxication. Herein we present novel information indicating that
monensin (applied as
tetraethylammonium salt) is a promising
chelating agent for the treatment of Cd-induced renal and cardiac dysfunction. The study was performed using the ICR mouse model. Adult ICR male mice were divided into three groups with six animals in each group: control (received distilled water and food ad libitum for 28 days); Cd-intoxicated (treated orally with 20 mg/kg b.w. Cd(II)
acetate from day 1 to day 14 of the experimental protocol), and
monensin treated group (intoxicated with Cd(II)
acetate as described for the Cd-intoxicated group followed by oral treatment with 16 mg/kg b.w.
tetraethylammonium salt of
monensic acid for 2 weeks). Cd intoxication of the animals resulted in an increase of the organ weight/
body weight indexes. Cd elevated significantly
creatinine and
glucose level in serum.
Monensin treatment improved the organ weight/
body weight ratios. The
therapy of the Cd-intoxicated animals with
monensin ameliorated the
creatinine and
glucose level in serum and decreased the concentration of the toxic
metal ions in the heart and kidneys by 54% and 64%, respectively.