Abstract: Objective To explore the effects of different levels of iron in feed on cadmium nephrotoxicity in rats.Methods One hundred clearing grade male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:iron deficiency diet group, normal iron diet group,and higher level of iron diet group in order to establish anmi almodels of low,normal,and high iron. Each group was divided aga in into control and expermient group.The indicators of iron status,renal injury and cadmium in urine,liver and kidney tissue in each group were detected.Results With the increase of iron load in the body,there was an accrescent tendency in renal damage in the rats of the expermient groups.The activitiy of urine N-acetyl-B-D-gluco sam inides and the content of urine β₂-microglobulin in iron deficiency group,normal iron group and higher level iron group were 119.04·82.4,220.10·167.77,347.62·156.18 U/gcr and 35.02·18.0,107.69·27.7,1011 08·48.8 ug/gcr,respec tively,with significant differences among the groups(P < 0.05).Conclusion Under non-digestive cadmium exposure,dif ferent iron levels canaffect cadmium nephro to xicity.The increase of iron contents promotes cadmium nephro toxicity in rats.