Abstract:
The selected metalloelements i.e. Vanadium and Palladium have a number of potential
Pharmaco-clinical advantages. Vanadium decreases the level of glucose and cholesterol,
improves the function of hemoglobin and myoglobin and has anti-cancerous and diuretic
functions. Similarly, Palladium compounds have antiviral, antibacterial, neuroprotective and
antitumor properties. However studies have also indicated some mild to serious toxic effects of
these metalloelements. Biothiols are important antioxidant that provides protection against
metals toxicity. The interaction of metalloelements with biothiols can provide valuable
information about the level of toxicity of the metalloelements and about the protective role of
biothiols thereof. In this piece of work the effect of salts and complexes of Vanadium and
Palladium on the status of different thiols (GSH, NAC, D-Pen and albumin) in aqueous medium,
blood components and liver homogenate . The thiol quantification was carried out using Elman’s
method through UV-visible spectrophotometry and 1H- NMR. Results of the study performed in
aqueous medium, as shown in chapter 2, showed that level of different thiols depleted after the
addition of the inorganic salts and organic complexes of Vanadium and Palladium. Such
depletion was further enhanced with increasing concentrations of the metalloelements and with
time incubation. We also observed a maximum depletion in the levels of different thiols at pH
7.6 which is near to physiological pH. Similar observations were also made in blood components
as mention in chapter 3. We observed a decrease in the level of Glutathione under the effect of
the said metalloelements in whole blood as well as in separated plasma and cytosolic fraction.
Observations were also made under different concentrations of the metalloelements, time and pH
parameters. Results were showing that the effect of these metalloelements on the level of GSH in
blood components is high at pH 7.6 and increases with increasing concentrations of the
metalloelements and with time elapse. Such depletion in cytosolic fraction, in particular, is
indicative of the fact that the anions of both the metals can cross the membrane of the
erythrocytes. Effect of metalloelements Vanadium and Palladium on the status of Glutathione in
WBCs (Lymphocytes, B-cells, T-cells and Neutrophils) was also investigated as mention in
chapter 4. The results showed that the level of Glutathione in the selected types of WBC’s was
depleted as a result of interaction with Vanadium and Palladium. This depletion was further
aggravated with increasing concentrations of Palladium and Vanadium, time elapse as well as at
pH 7.6. The effect these metalloelements on the concentration of Glutathione in liver
homogenate, under different parameters was also observed as mention in chapter 5.for this
purpose liver homogenate was prepared according to the protocol established by Schiefer. We
observed that the metalloelements decreases the level of Glutathione in the liver homogenate
sample which was further enhanced with elevated concentrations of the metals, time incubation
and was high at pH7.6. The mechanism of interaction of Palladium with thiols was examined
using H-NMR as mentioned in chapter 6. The results revealed that five species are produced
during the quantification of thiols with Elman’s reagents (ESSE). These species were ES-, ESSE,
ESSR, RSSR and RSH. The results further indicate that the depletion in the level of thiols may
be due to 1:1 or 1:2 conjugation of Palladium with thiols respectively. The bonding strength of
both the elements with albumin and exchange reaction by low molecular weight thiols were also
examined as mentioned in chapter 7. The UV- visible spectrophotometric observation was made
at wavelength ranging from 240nm to 500nm. A negligible absorbance was observed at 412nm
which suggested that there was no exchange reaction between albumin metal complexes and low
molecular weight thiols. The finding of the study suggests that the metalloelements Vanadium
and Palladium conjugate with different thiols in aqueous medium, blood components and liver
homogenate. The chances of such assumed conjugation reactions further increases with time
elapse, with increasing concentration of the metalloelements and in suitable conditions of pH 7.6.
These conjugation reactions further suggest that the metalloelements Vanadium and Palladium
have xenobiotic nature causing oxidative stress and thiols play their role in detoxification and
biotransformation of these metalloelements. This study perform in situ can be used as a model of
in vivo study.