Vol. 77 (1) 2025

ARTICLES

Effects of Zeolite Administration on Kinetics of White Blood Cell in ICR Laboratory Albino Mice after Sub-Chronic Cadmium and Lead Administration

Iliana Alexieva1, Michaela Beltcheva1*, Peter Ostoich1, Tsenka Chassovnikarova1,
Nevena Peeva1, José Antonio Heredia-Rojas2 & Abraham O. Rodríguez-De la Fuente2

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*1Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Sofia, Bulgaria; mnedialkova@gmail.com
2Faculty of Biological Sciences, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Mexico

https://doi.org/10.71424/azb77.1.002842

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Abstract
The accumulation of heavy metals in the body is associated with an increased immune response manifested by pathological changes in white blood cell (WBC) counts. This study aimed to examine the impact of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) exposure on the WBC kinetics of laboratory ICR albino mice over a subchronic intoxication period and to assess the efficacy of zeolite administration in modulating detoxification processes. Five variants of laboratory experiments were performed over 45 days: 1) food + water (control); 2) food + (water+Cd(NO3)2); 3) food + (water+Pb(NO3)2); 4) (food + clinoptilolite) + (water+Cd(NO3)2) and 5) (food + clinoptilolite) + (water+Pb(NO3)2). Haematological analyses were conducted on days 0, 15, 30 and 45. Pb and Cd intoxication resulted in pathological alterations of WBC kinetics, with inconsistent effects in different WBC subtypes but more pronounced in granulocyte. We observed a tendency for a decrease in WBC counts at day 15 and an increase at day 30, followed by normalisation at day 45 in all experimental groups. Pb ‒ more immunotoxic to mouse WBCs. The study on the effects of clinoptilolite (hydrated alkali aluminosilicate, one of the most abundant minerals in the zeolite family) administration suggests insufficient efficiency on leukopoiesis in ICR albino mice. Further research is required to elucidate the potential mechanisms of action of clinoptilolite-mediated detoxification in the context of immune responses to heavy metal poisoning.

Key words
cadmium, lead, naturally modified clinoptilolite, white blood cells kinetics

How to Cite
Alexieva I, Beltcheva M., Ostoich P., Chassovnikarova T., Peeva N., Heredia-Rojas J.A. & ARodríguez-De la Fuente A.O. 2025. Effects of Zeolite Administration on Kinetics of White Blood Cell in ICR Laboratory Albino Mice after Sub-Chronic Cadmium and Lead Administration. Acta zoologica bulgarica 77 (1) 121-129.

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