During the last decades it was proven that many xenobiotics (certain solvents, pesticides, metals and even drugs) induce increased formation of free radicals that cause cell disfunction of lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and even cell death. Cadmium, an important source of occupational as well as environmental pollution, has significant role. Numerous investigations indicate that increased cadmium intake induces oxidative modifications of biomolecules. It is unclear whether this effect is direct and/or indirect, due to the influence of cadmium on antioxidative defence system. This paper presents the effect of acute and chronic cadmium intoxication on antioxidative system in order to give more explanation on mechanism of cell damaging effects of this toxic metal. Experimental studies indicate that cadmium induce negative effects on enzyme activity of antioxidative defence system (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase), as well as on nonenzymatic components (ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, coenzyme Q, glutathione and metallothionein).
Influence of increased cadmium intake on antioxidative defence system