1982 Volume 20 Issue 3 Pages 219-226
Molybdenum and copper when administered to animals are known to accumulate predominantly in liver, causing identifiable toxic effects on enzyme systems. Since, molybdenum and copper are known as antagonists, effects of their combined treatment have been described in the present investigation taking enzy-mes of key importance viz. alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphatase, 5-nucleotidase, esterases and cholinesterase in the liver of rat, Rattus rattus albino. Comparison of controls with the combined effects revealed an in-crease in the activity of enzymes studied, however, some remarkable differences in their topography were observed. Antagonistic behaviour of molybdenum and copper at the enzymological level has been explained on the basis that copper becomes unavailable through interaction with molybdate to form either cupric molybdate or copper thiomolybdate which is ultimately excreted. The results have further been interpreted in terms of combined effects of molybdenum and copper on cel-lular organelle, levels of enzyme protein and microenvironment of the hepatic parenchyma.