Deficiency diseases metal complexes

Iron is a metal essential to metabolism. Many complex proteins are unable to function unless iron atoms in the proper state of oxygenation are inserted in the molecule. Without iron, globin and porphyrins are useless and may accumulate and cause disease. Yet only a half-century ago, the pathogenesis of a now well-known iron deficiency disease (chlorosis) was attributed to the tightness of the corsets young ladies wore. 

Chromium has proved effective in counteracting the deleterious effects of cadmium in rats and of vanadium in chickens. High mortality rates and testicular atrophy occurred in rats subjected to an intraperitoneal injection of cadmium salts however, pretreatment with chromium ameliorated these effects (Stacey et al. 1983). The Cr-Cd relationship is not simple. In some cases, cadmium is known to suppress adverse effects induced in Chinese hamster (Cricetus spp.) ovary cells by Cr (Shimada et al. 1998). In southwestern Sweden, there was an 80% decline in chromium burdens in liver of the moose (Alces alces) between 1982 and 1992 from 0.21 to 0.07 mg Cr/kg FW (Frank et al. 1994). During this same period in this locale, moose experienced an unknown disease caused by a secondary copper deficiency due to elevated molybdenum levels as well as chromium deficiency and trace element imbalance (Frank et al. 1994). In chickens (Gallus sp.), 10 mg/kg of dietary chromium counteracted adverse effects on albumin metabolism and egg shell quality induced by 10 mg/kg of vanadium salts (Jensen and Maurice 1980). Additional research on the beneficial aspects of chromium in living resources appears warranted, especially where the organism is subjected to complex mixtures containing chromium and other potentially toxic heavy metals. 

The determination of the metal concentration (excess or deficiency) compared to normal tissue, the binding to proteins and the quantitative distribution of metals in brain tissues is of the highest significance for the study and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and is linked to the development of mass spectrometric techniques on biological complex systems. 

Volume 14 Inorganic Drugs in Deficiency and Disease Volume 15 Zinc and Its Role in Bioli and Nutrition Volume 16 Methods Involving Metal Ions and Complexes in Clinical Chemistry... 

---