Effect of combined cadmium and ethanol prenatal exposure on internal organs and biogenic amines levels in the brains of rat offspring

Ethanol (EtOH) abuse in pregnancy is known to produce serious damage to internal organs of the fetus, a condition in humans that is classified as "fetal alcohol syndrome". Cadmium (Cd), a heavy metal pollutant of the environment, represents another toxin that produces retarded fetal growth and teratogenic effects. The developing brain is particularly sensitive to both toxins, being affected morphologically and neurochemically. Besides prenatal EtOH and Cd have been found to reduce endogenous dopamine (DA) levels and turnover in the brain and change reactivity of the central DA receptors to agonists. To test effect of separate and joint applications of the above xenobiotics on offspring during pregnancy, rats were given 10% (v/v) EtOH and/or Cd (5 or 50 ppm) in their drinking water. Numbers of pregnant rats, newborns in the litter, birth body mass, and the number of offspring surviving 3 weeks after birth were recorded. Then in 6-week-old offspring the anatomopathological study of internal organs, and the level of biogenic amines (NA, 5-HT, 5-HIAA) in the discrete parts of the brain were estimated spectrofluorometrically. Prenatal exposure to EtOH prevents some toxic effect of Cd in rat offspring (morphological, condition of offspring). On the other hand, EtOH intensified some effects of Cd on the biogenic amines level in the brain.