Investigation of effects of time of measurement and modes of administration on cadmium accumulation in rat liver under some medicinal plants food supplemented diet

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES: Cadmium (Cd) toxicity leads to cell and organ damage, we comparatively examined the protection ability of different medicinal plants on Cd liver accumulation following different treatment interventions and modes of administration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were fed either 7% w/w Zingiber officinale, 7% w/w Allium Sativum, 10% w/w Lycopersicon esculentum, 5%, w/w Garcinia kola (all in rat chow), while Cd (200 ppm) was given in drinking water. Additives were administered together with (mode 1), a week after (mode 2) or a week before metal exposure (mode 3) for a period of six weeks. Cd liver was determined using AAS and compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: All additives significantly (P <0.5) reduced the accumulation of Cd in the liver. After adjusting for time and mode of administration, mean %protection for week 4 was significantly lower by 14.1% (P=0.02) from that for week 2 but the means did not differ with respect to additive used or mode of administration, no statistically significant interaction between modes of administration and either of additives used or time of administration in their respective relationships to percentage protection from Cd. CONCLUSION: Additives significantly reduced Cd accumulation through a reduction in absorption and enhancement of metal excretion.