摘要：The early testicular damage after acute cadmium (Cd) exposure and the prevention of Cd-induced testicular toxicity by the oral administration of disulfiram (DSF) at various times after Cd exposure in rats were studied. Although moderate enlargement in interstitial tissues was observed at the first 3 h after Cd injection, no morphological changes in the inside of seminiferous tubules were observed. At 6 h after Cd exposure, damage of both interstitial tissues and seminiferous tubules was observed. Rats received an intraperitoneal injection of DSF (0.5 mmol/kg) or an oral administration of DSF (0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mmol/kg) 0.5, 1, 3 or 6 h after the subcutaneous injection of CdCl2 (26.7μmol (3 mg) Cd/kg). The oral treatment with DSF at dose levels of 0.5 mmol/kg (0.5 or 1 h), 1.0 mmol/kg (3 h), or 2.0 mmol/kg (3 h) prevented the increase in testicular lipid peroxidation and calcium and Cd concentrations and the decrease in testicular weight, which were observed at 7 d after Cd injection, as well as by the injection of DSF at 0.5 mmol/kg (0.5 h). The results at 59 d after Cd injection indicated that the testicular Cd concentrations and testicular weight after DSF treatment were changed in sterile rats, but not in fertile animals. These results indicate that Cd-induced testicular toxicity occurs 3-6 h after Cd injection, and that more effective chelation therapy with DSF for testicular toxicity by Cd is considered to arise from the oral administration of DSF at dose levels of more than 1.0 mmol/kg within 3 h after acute Cd exposure in rats.
