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. 2022 Jul 1;35(4):367–392. doi: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01912

Table 2.

Results of studies in animal models with Cd exposure and vitamin C treatment and relationship between Cd exposure and vitamin C in blood concentration in human studies, collected on PubMed in May 2021

Reference Research model Study description Main results
38 Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
  • –

    CG (N = 6) – CdCl2 (1.5 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 6) – CdCl2 (1.5 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days) and vitamin C (150 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    liver: ALT↓, total protein↑, bilirubin↓, LDH↓, AST↓, GGT↓, Cd↓,
14 Fish, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
  • –

    CG (N = 20) – Cd (50 mg/kg diet for 12 weeks)

  • –

    G1 (N = 20) – Cd (50 mg/kg diet for 12 weeks) and vitamin C (100 mg/kg diet)

 GIvs.CG
  • –

    blood: total protein↔, albumin↔, creatinine↓, urea↔, ALT↓, AST↔, Hb↔, RBC↔,WBC↔

  • –

    body: weight:↔, Cd residue↓
39 Fish, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
  • –

    CG (N = 15) – CdCl2(10 ppm for21 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 15)- CdCl2(10 ppm for 21 days) and vitamin C (10 ppm in tank water for 21 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    liver: TBARS↓, CAT↑, SOD↓, Cd↓

  • –

    kidney: TBARS↓, CAT↑, SOD↔, Cd↓

  • –

    muscle: Cd↔

  • –

    gills: Cd↓
11 Rats, Wistar
  • –

    CG (N = 5) – Cd (2 mg, single dose, intraperitoneally)

  • –

    G1 (N = 5) – Cd (2 mg, single dose, intraperitoneally) and vitamin C (0.0015 mg/kg)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    serum: urea↓, creatinine↓, ALP↔, AcPt↓, AcPp↓

  • –

    liver: histological changes↓

  • –

    kidney: histological changes↓

  • –

    testes: histological changes↓
40 Rats, Sprague Dawley
  • –

    CG (N = 10) – Cd Cl 2(3 mg/kg b.w. orally for 90 days)

  • –

    G1(N = 10)-CdCl2(3 mg/kg b.w. orally for 90 days) and vitamin C (2g/l in distilled water for 90 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    liver: histopathological changes↓, collagen fibres↓, DNA content↓

  • –

    kidney: histopathological changes↓, collagen fibres↓, DNA content↓

  • –

    testis: histopathological changes↓, collagen fibres↓, DNA content↓

  • –

    lung: histopathological changes↓, collagen fibres↓, DNA content↓

  • –

    bone marrow cells: chromosomal aberration↓, freguency of total chromosomal aberration↓
41 Fish, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
  • –

    CG (N = 30) – Cd (5 mg/l drinking water for 45 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 30) – Cd (5 mg/l drinking water for 45 days) and vitamin C (500 mg/kg diet for 45 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    liver: MT↔, GST↔, GPx↔, histopathological changes↔
42 Rats, Wistar
  • –

    CG (N = 8) – CdCl2 (5 mg/kg b.w. by gavage for 27 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 8) – CdCl2 (5 mg/kg b.w. by gavage for 27 days) and vitamin C (100 mg/kg b.w. for 1 h prior to Cd)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    liver: MDA↔, GSH↔, MT↔, histological changes↔
43 Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
  • –

    CG (N = 6) – CdCl2 (1.5 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 6) – CdCl2 (1.5 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days) and vitamin C (150 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    serum: creatinine↓, cystation C↓, uric acid↓, ALP↓

  • –

    kidney: Cd↓
44 Guinea pigs, Velaz, Prague
  • –

    CG (N = 8) – Cd Cl2 (1 mg/animal for 12 weeks) and vitamin C (2 mg/ani ma I for 12 weeks)

  • –

    G1 (N = 8) – Cd Cl2(1 mg/animal for 12 weeks) and vitamin C (100 mg/animal for 12 weeks)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    kidney: weight↔, histomorphologleal changes (epithelial proximal tubules vacuolization, interstitium edema dilatation of veins, paravenous lymphatic infiltrates) ↓, lymphatic elements in interstitium↔

  • –

    serum: creatinine ↓, urea ↓
24 Rats, Sprague Dawley
  • –

    CG (N = 8) – CdCl2 (0.2 mg/100 g b.w., single dose subcutaneously)

  • –

    G1 (N = 8) – CdCl2 (0.2 mg/100 g b.w., single dose subcutaneously) and vitamin C (500 mg/l drinking water for 3 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    testis: StAR mRNA↑, 3β-HSDT, 17P-HSD↑, MDA↑,,SOD↑, GPx↑

  • –

    serum: testosterone↑
25 Mice, Swiss albino
  • –

    CG (N = 24) – CdCl2 (1 mg/kg b.w. intraperitoneal injection)

  • –

    G1 (N = 24) – CdCl2 (1 mg/kg b.w. intraperitoneal injection) and vitamin C (10 mg/kg b.w. intraperitoneal injection)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    testes: LPP↓, ascorbic acid↑, SOD↔, CAT↑, GSH↑,

  • –

    sperm: abnormality ↓, count↑
45 Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
  • –

    CG (N = 6) – CdCl2 (1.5 mg/kg b.w. by oral gavage for 28 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 6) – CdCl2 (1.5 mg/kg b.w. by oral gavage for 28 days) and vitamin C (150 pg/g b.w. by oral gavage for 28 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    serum: cholesterol ↑, HDL↑, LDL↑, TnT↓, creatinine kinase ↓,

  • –

    heart: Cd↓
46 Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
  • –

    CG (N = 6) – CdCl2 (1.5 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 6) – CdCl2 (1.5 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days) and vitamin C (150 mg/kg b.w. orally for 28 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    serum: T3↑, T4↑, TSH↓,TG↓, Hb↑, MCHC↑, Htc↑

  • –

    liver: Cd↓

  • –

    kidney: Cd↑

  • –

    heart: Cd↓

  • –

    lungs: Cd↓
47 Guinea pigs, Velaz Praha
  • –

    CG (N = 8) – Cd Cl2(1 mg/animal for 12 weeks) and vitamin C (2 mg/animal for 12 weeks)

  • –

    G1 (N = 8) – Cd Cl2(1 mg/animal for 12 weeks) and vitamin C (100 mg/animal for 12 weeks)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    phagocytic activity of polymorphonudears and monocytes ↑

  • –

    weight: body↔, spleen ↓
48 Rats, Wistar
  • –

    CG (N = 45) – CdCl2 (1.0–1.2 mg Cd/kg b.w. intragastrically for 28 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 45) – CdCl2 (1.0–1.2 mg Cd/kg b.w. intragastrically for 28 days) and vitamin C (1.25 g/rat for 28 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    liver: Cd↓

  • –

    kidneys: Cd↓

  • –

    testicles: Cd↓

  • –

    muscles: Cd↓
49 Japanese quails (Coturnixjaponica)
  • –

    CG (N = 10) – CdCl2 (100 pCi/kg of diet during 7—14 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 10) – CdCl2 (100 μCi/kg of diet during 7-14 days) and 0.5% ascorbic acid (during 7-14 days)

 GI vs.CG
  • –

    liver: Cd↔

  • –

    kidney: Cd↓

  • –

    duodenum: Cd↓

  • –

    jejunum-ileum: Cd↓

  • –

    body weight:↔
  • –

    CG (N = 10) – CdCl2 (3.4 μCi/kg – single dose given at 9 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 10) – CdCl2 (3.4 μCi/kg – single dose given at 9 days) and 0.5% ascorbic acid (7-16 days

 G1 vs. CG
  • –

    liver: Cd↓

  • –

    kidney: Cd↓

  • –

    duodenum: Cd↓

  • –

    jejunum-ileum: Cd↓

  • –

    body weight: ↔
  • –

    CG (N = 10) – CdCl2 (3.4 μCi/kg – single dose given at 9 days)

  • –

    G1 (N = 10) – CdCl2 (3.4 μCi/kg – single dose given at 9 days) and 0.5% ascorbic acid (for 16 days)

 G1 vs. CG
  • –

    liver: Cd↓

  • –

    kidney: Cd↓

  • –

    duodenum: Cd↓

  • –

    jejunum-ileum: Cd↓

  • –

    body weight:↔
50 Guinea pigs, Velaz, Prague
  • –

    CG (N = 8) –Cd Cl2 (1 mg/animal for 12 weeks) and vitamin C (2 mg/animal for 12 weeks)

  • –

    G1 (N = 8) – Cd Cl2 (1 mg/animal for 12 weeks) and vitamin C (100 mg/animal for 12 weeks)

 G1 vs. CG
  • –

    serum: zinc↔, copper↓

  • –

    kidney: zinc↔, copper↔

  • –

    liver: zinc↑, copper↑

  • –

    testes: zinc↔, copper↓

  • –

    heart: zinc↔, copper↔

  • –

    brain: zinc↔, copper↓
36 Smoking patients, male, 44-55 years
  • –

    CG (N = 15) – nonsmokers

  • –

    G1 (N = 15) – light smokers

  • –

    G2 (N = 15) – moderate smokers

  • –

    G3 (N = 15) – heavy smokers

 G1, G2, G3 vs. CG
  • –

    serum: vitamin C↓

  • –

    blood: Cd↑

  • –

    lenses: Cd↑

in G1, G3:
  • –

    vitamin C serum level and blood Cd concentration – negative correlation in G2:

  • –

    vitamin C serum level and blood Cd concentration – positive correlation
51 People, ≤58 years
  • –

    CG1 (N = 5) – nonsmokers with cataract (40-50 years)

  • –

    G1 (N = 3) – smokers with cataract (40-50 years)

  • –

    CG 2 (N = 6) – nonsmokers with cataract (51–55 years)

  • –

    G2 (N = 6) – smokers with cataract (51-55 years)

  • –

    CG 3 (N = 26) – nonsmokers with cataract (56-58 years)

  • –

    G3 (N = 23) – smokers with cataract (56-58 years)

 G1, G2, G3 vs. CG1, CG2, CG3
  • –

    blood: vitamin C↔

  • –

    lens: Cd↑

G1 vs. CG1
  • –

    blood: Cd↔

G2,G3 vs. CG2, CG3
  • –

    blood: Cd↑
  • –

    CG (N = 21) – nonsmokers without cataract (30-40 years)

  • –

    G1 (N = 19) – smokers without cataract (30-40 years)

 GI vs. CG
  • –

    blood: Cd↑, vitamin C↔
52 Men, 29-64 years
  • –

    CG – fructose placebo for 1 month

  • –

    G1-vitaminC(500mg)for 1 month

  • –

    G2 – vitamin C (1000 mg) for 1 month

 G1 and G2 vs. CG
  • –

    blood: Cd↔

  • –

    hair: Cd↔
53 Pregnant women
  • –

    G1 (N = 381) – dietary intake was assessed using 24-hour recall questionnaire

 in G1:
  • –

    blood Cd level with ascorbic acid – negative association

ATP – adenosine triphosphate; CG3 – control group 3; FPMS – fast progressive motile spermatozoa; GGT – gamma glutamyl transferase; HDL – high-density lipoprotein; LDH – lactate dehydrogenase;

LDL – low-density lipoprotein; MT – metallothionein.

Other abbreviations as in Table 1.