The combined action of lead and physical load in a subchorionic experiment on rats

Abstract

Introduction. Exposure to lead associated with working conditions (especially in mining and metallurgical production) is usually combined with muscular work. However, the influence of this combination on the pathological process development has not been thoroughly studied. Materials and methods. During six weeks, white outbred male rats received intraperitoneal lead acetate at a dose of 11 mg / kg, corresponding to 1/20 LD50, three times a week and/or five times a week physical exercises (forced running for 10 minutes at a speed of 25 m/min). Results. As can be seen from the results, lead caused statistically significant shifts in 33.5% of the organism’s status indices, pointing to the onset of a moderate subchronic intoxication. Content of coproporphyrin in urine and percentage of reticulocytes in the peripheral blood increased, the average content of haemoglobin in the erythrocyte decreased. Under physical activity the harmful effect of lead enhanced in 23.7% of indices and weakened in 28.9% of indices. We did not find changes in 47.4% of indices. Conclusion. Lead intoxication changes ambiguously under the influence of physical exercises. The type of combined effect of lead toxicity and physical activities depends on the outcome by which this type is assessed, on this outcome’s level and the dose ratio.