• DOI:10.1093/JN/100.1.59
• Corpus ID: 4444415

Zirconium, niobium, antimony, vanadium and lead in rats: life term studies.

@article{Schroeder1970ZirconiumNA,
  title={Zirconium, niobium, antimony, vanadium and lead in rats: life term studies.},
  author={Henry Alfred Schroeder and Marian Mitchener and Alexis P. Nason},
  journal={The Journal of nutrition},
  year={1970},
  volume={100 1},
  pages={
          59-68
        }
}

• H. Schroeder, M. Mitchener, A. P. Nason
• Published 1970
• Medicine
• The Journal of nutrition

To evaluate innate effects of the trace elements zirconium, niobium, antimony and vanadium, and to reevaluate those of lead, 603 rats of the Long-Evans strain were fed a diet containing relatively small amounts of these elements in an environment reasonably free of trace contaminants. Groups of 100 or more divided as to sex were given 5 ppm (as metal) either zirconium, niobate, an tÂimoni te, or vanadyl ions, and 25 ppm lead (males only) in drinking water from the time of weaning until natural death, and compared with an equal number of controls. Chromium 1 ppm was in the water. These doses were tolerable for growth which was enhanced in the male niobium group. Innate toxicity in terms of life span and longevity occurred in the antimony groups. In rats given antimony, nonfasting serum glucose levels were lower than fasting, an unusual finding. Increased incidences of glycosuria occurred in the zirconium, niobium and lead groups. Serum cholesterol was abnormal in the antimony and vanadium groups. Antimony and lead accumu lated in soft tissues, the former with age. No element was tumorigenic. Lead-fed males lost weight from 24 to 30 months of age and their coats were poor, the only signs of toxicity. A previous series of chromium-deficient rats given the same dose of lead showed early mortality, shortened life span and decreased longevity. Chromium may be antagonistic to lead toxicity. Innate biological effects of small doses of trace elements in drinking water, given to mice and rats from the time of weaning until death are being studied in an en vironment relatively free of contaminating metals. The purposes of these time-consum ing experiments are to ascertain whether an orally given element â€"usually a metal â€"has favorable or adverse effects on growth and survival or is inert biologically, and whether or not a common human chronic disease is reproduced in these ani mals. We have reported effects of cad mium, lead, chromium and its deficiency