Preventive effects of sodium molybdate in lead intoxication in rats.

The role of sodium molybdate (1 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, once daily) supplementation during the course of lead exposure (0.1% lead acetate in drinking water for 4 weeks) in preventing the accumulation of lead in blood and soft tissues and in restoring altered lead-sensitive biochemical variables and the levels of hepatic glutathione, lipid peroxidation, blood Na, blood K, and serum ceruloplasmin was investigated in rats. The data indicate that sodium molybdate significantly protected the uptake of lead in blood, liver, and kidneys and restored the lead-induced inhibited activity of blood delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, elevation of blood zinc protoporphyrin, hepatic lipid peroxidation, and serum ceruloplasmin. The results suggest a significant role of sodium molybdate in preventing plumbism.