Monensin ameliorates cadmium-induced hepatic injury in mice, subjected to subacute cadmium intoxication

This study was designed to evaluate the potential application of monensin as an oral drug for the treatment of cadmium-induced hepatic dysfunction. The study was performed using ICR mouse model. Twenty-seven adult ICR male mice were divided into three groups of nine animals each: 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 the 1st to the 14th day of the experimental protocol); and monensin treated group (intoxicated with Cd(II) acetate as described for the Cd-intoxicated group followed by an oral treatment with 16 mg/kg b.w. tetraethylammonium salt of monensic acid for two weeks). The obtained results demonstrated that the treatment of Cd-intoxicated animals with monensin restored the liver weight/body weight index to normal values, decreased the concentration of the toxic metal ion by 50% compared to the Cd-treated controls, and recovered the homeostasis of Cu and Zn. Monensin reduced the activity of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotrasnferase and alkaline phosphatase in the plasma of Cd-treated animals to the normal control levels and ameliorated the Cd-induced inflammation in the liver. Taken together, these data demonstrated that monensin could be an effective chelating agent for the treatment of Cd-induced hepatotoxicity.