Lead acetate

About: Lead acetate is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2636 publications have been published within this topic receiving 69739 citations.

Lead induced changes in human erythrocytes and lymphocytes

Abstract: In the present work we studied, by chemiluminescence measurements, the influence of lead on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in haemolysates obtained from human erythrocytes incubated in the presence of different concentrations of lead acetate. Moreover, we evaluated the modification of proteins and lipids in human erythrocyte and lymphocyte membranes by using the fluorescence probes N-(1-pyrene)maleimide (PM), laurdan and pyrene. No significant changes in chemiluminescence were detected for erythrocytes incubated with 1–10 µM lead acetate for 3 h at 37 °C. By increasing the lead acetate concentration in cell suspensions up to 50 µM for the same incubation time, the percentage of chemiluminescence inhibition was ca. 20%. It was shown that, after incorporating fluorescence probes in the membrane lipid bilayer of erythrocytes and lymphocytes treated with 10 and[sol ]or 50 µM lead acetate, the total fluorescence intensity and the excimer to monomer intensity ratio of PM decreased and the generalized fluorescence polarization of laurdan decreased by 10–15%. The pyrene excimerization coefficient (κex) increased by 20% (in comparison with a magnitude of κex for white membranes isolated from intact erythrocytes) with 6–10 µM lead acetate for 3 h at 37 °C. The data obtained suggest that the effect of low concentrations of lead acetate does not cause production of ROS in erythrocytes in vitro, but can change the physicochemical state of proteins and lipids in erythrocyte and lymphocyte membranes. This effect is important because it influences the enzymatic activity and the functionality of receptors and channels present at the plasma membrane level, thus modulating the molecular composition of the intracellular space and cell functions. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Andrew Jackson's exposure to mercury and lead: poisoned president?

Abstract: Historians have suggested that US president Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) experienced lead and mercury poisoning following his therapeutic use of calomel (mercurous chloride) and sugar of lead (lead acetate). To evaluate these claims, we performed direct physical measurement of 2 samples of Jackson's hair (1 from 1815, 1 from 1839). Following pretreatment and acid digestion, mercury was measured using cold vapor generation techniques, while lead levels were measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mercury levels of 6.0 and 5.6 ppm were obtained from the 1815 and 1839 hair specimens, respectively. Lead levels were significantly elevated in both the 1815 sample (mean lead level, 130.5 ppm) and the 1839 sample (mean lead level, 44 ppm). These results suggest that Jackson had mercury and lead exposure, the latter compatible with symptomatic plumbism in the 1815 sample. However, Jackson's death was probably not due to heavy metal poisoning.

Effect of Glycine on Lead Mobilization, Lead-Induced Oxidative Stress, and Hepatic Toxicity in Rats

Abstract: The effectiveness of glycine in treating experimental lead intoxication was examined in rats. Male Wistar rats were exposed to 3 g/L lead acetate in drinking water for 5 weeks and treated thereafter with glycine (100 and 500 mg/kg, orally) once daily for 5 days or glycine (1000 mg/kg, orally) once daily for 28 days. The effect of these treatments on parameters indicative of oxidative stress (glutathione and malondialdehyde levels), the activity of blood 𝛿 -aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, and lead concentration in blood, liver, kidney, brain, and bone were investigated. Liver samples were observed for histopathological changes. Glycine was found to be effective in (1) increasing glutathione levels; (2) reducing malondialdehyde levels; (3) decreasing lead levels in bone with the highest dose. However, glycine had no effect on lead mobilization when 100 and 500 mg/kg glycine were administered. In microscopic examination, glycine showed a protective effect against lead intoxication.