Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) has recently been used extensively in industry. As a consequence, it is drawing attention as a causative agent of occupational diseases and environmental pollution. Intensive studies are being carried out on Cd intoxication, and pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, necrosis of the renal cortex, etc. are now recognized as manifestations of acute Cd poisoning, while proteinuria, emphysema, anemia, kidney stones and bone lesions as those of the chronic poisoning (1). It had been reported that arterial hypertension, testicular hemorrhage and necrosis were induced in rats with only a small dose of Cd (2, 3), also that Cd acts as a carcinogen in rats (4).
In Japan, Hagino et al. (5) published "Study on Itaiitai-Disease (An Endemic of Toyama Prefecture). Since then much research has been successively carried out on bone diseases resulting from chronic Cd poisoning.
Administering cadmium chloride to mice, using 115mCd as the tracer we investigated retention, excretion and distribution and the effects of drugs in order to provide effective therapy to Cd poisoned patients.
