Gender Differences in the Effects of Cadmium Exposure on Hematological Parameters in Wistar Rats

This study aims to investigate the gender dimorphism in cadmium exposure on hematological parameters in male and female Wistar rats. Twenty Wistar rats (120g-150g) were divided into four groups: male control, male cadmium-treated, female control, and female cadmium-treated. Cadmium chloride (50 mg/kg) was administered orally to the experimental groups for 45 days. Hematological parameters were analyzed using an auto hematological analyzer. Data were statistically evaluated using two-way ANOVA with significance set at p < 0.05. Cadmium exposure significantly increased white blood cell (WBC) counts in male rats compared to controls, with notable decrease in neutrophils and an increase in lymphocytes. Female rats showed significant increase in monocyte and basophil levels. Furthermore, red blood cell (RBC) parameters showed significant reductions in hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) in female cadmium-treated rats. No significant effects were observed on platelet count or distribution width in both male and female rats. The study concluded there are gender-specific hematological alterations due to cadmium exposure in Wistar rats. These findings underscore the need for gender-specific approach in the understanding and amelioration of cadmium toxicity.