Study on mechanism of liver toxicity of mixture of nickel sulfate, potassium dichromate and cobalt chloride in mice

  Objective   To study the mechanism of NiSO₄, K₂CrO₇, CoCl₂ and the mixture to damage liver of mice in order to provide theoretical evidence for preventing and curing joint toxicity of the mixture.

  Methods   Several groups of mice were exposed respectively to NiSO₄, K₂CrO₇, CoCl₂ at dose of 2.5, 0.14, 0.41 mg/kg and a mixture of them at 0.09, 0.17 mg/kg according to the ores percentage of average content(Ni: Cr: Co=0.26:0.30:0.02)in the Jinchuan area through intraperitoneal injection for 10 days.Liver cell spare slurry and cell membrane were prepared to assess the activity of Ca²⁺-ATP_ase, CaM, MDA and SOD with enzyme and biochemical assay.

  Results   The enzyme activity of Ca²⁺-ATP_ase and SOD were inhabited and the content of CaM decreased and meanwhile MDA was increased by NiSO₄, K₂CrO₇, CoCl₂ and the mixture.In addition, the mixture toxicity were stronger than that of NiSO₄, K₂CrO₇, CoCl₂ lonely.

  Conclusion   The mixture could cause joint toxicity in the body of mice and inhabit the activity of Ca²⁺-ATP_ase and decrease the content of CaM and increase the peroxidation function of liver cell membrane so as to damage the liver.However, the mechanism of joint toxicity on the mixture should be studied further.