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Cadmium (Cd), one of the most important heavy metals contributing to environmental pollution, represents a significant risk factor for public health. The human body is exposed to cadmium through the ingestion of food and respiration. Cadmium accumulates in tissues such as the stomach and small intestine, where it can cause pathological changes in the organs. Melatonin is an antioxidant hormone secreted by the pineal gland, whereas vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant with therapeutic properties. The aim of this study was to determine the toxicity of Cadmium chloride (CdCl2) in the stomach and small intestine of Lohmann breed chicken embryos and to treat them with melatonin and vitamin E.A total of 30 fertile eggs of the Lohmann breed were utilized in this study, and five experimental groups were established (n=6): distilled water (DW), DW+ (CdCl2), DW+Melatonin, DW+Vitamin E, DW+CdCl2+Melatonin+Vitamin E. After a single dose of CdCl2 (0.430 mM), Melatonin (5 mg) and vitamin E (3 mg) were administered to each egg via in-ovo injection, the hole was closed with liquid paraffin. The fertile eggs were transferred to the incubator and the study was completed before the chicks hatched (day 21). The stomach and small intestine tissue of the chicks were excised, fixed in 10% formaldehyde, and processed using an alcohol and xylene series. Following the completion of routine histological procedures, the samples were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and examined under a light microscope. A decrease in average body and organ weight was observed in the CdCl2 group, while the mixture of melatonin and vitamin E prevented this decrease. The administration of CdCl2resulted in the necrosis and hemorrhage of gastric epithelial cells, as well as the deformation of small intestine crypts, the rupture and fracture of villi, and hemorrhage. The administration of CdCl2 induced pathologies in the gastrointestinal system, and the mixture of Melatonin and Vitamin E may have a limited effect in treating the damage. Further studies are required to determine the protective properties of melatonin and Vitamin E against CdCl2 in different experimental animals.
Şensoy et al. (Thu,) studied this question.