The effectiveness of L-cysteine in the intoxication with the combination of cadmium and lead

Abstract

The anthropogenic zones formation with an abnormal heavy metals degree negatively affects the safety and quality of livestock products, the health status and animals productivity. Detoxification by complexation with metal-binding proteins and peptides with a high content of cysteine (up to 33%) is one of the intracellular mechanisms of tolerance to heavy metals (HMs). L-cysteine is a natural feed component, practically it does not have any side effects and does not reduce the quality of products, the duration of its use is not limited, while complexing agents cannot be feeded for a long time, as well as the liver and kidneys deseases. The aim of this research was to study the biological effect of the L-cysteine in case of combined chronic cadmium and lead poisoning of white rats in laboratory conditions. Two-month experiment on white rats feeded with a combination of lead and cadmium at the level of 50 and 5 mg/kg respectively were held. It was found that L-cysteine led to the body weight and the function of the central nervous system normalization, the restoration of protein metabolism, and alkaline phosphatase activity, and hematopoietic functions. The feed additive significantly reduced the specific thiolotropic effect of lead and cadmium.