title: Effects of cyanide on selenium metabolism in rats.
abstract: Adult male rats were given drinking water containing either 0 or 150 ppm cyanide for 2 weeks. They were then injected with 5 microCi 75Se-selenite, and excretion of radioactivity in urine and feces was determined. No difference in excretion of 75Se occurred during the rapid phase, but the cyanide-treated rats (T1/2 28 days) excreted significantly more 75Se in urine than control (T1/2 38 days) rats. Cyanide had no effect on excretion of 75Se in feces or on the distribution of 75Se in cytosolic proteins in liver, kidney, muscle or testes. In a second experiment weanling male rats were given water with either 0 or 150 ppm cyanide and were killed for glutathione peroxidase assay and selenium analysis in blood, kidney, liver, muscle and testes after 3, 6 or 9 weeks of treatment. Glutathione peroxidase activity and selenium concentrations were significantly reduced by cyanide in all tissues except testes.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003486:Cyanides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D011190:Potassium Cyanide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011868:Radioisotopes; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D020887:Selenious Acid; D012643:Selenium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D003486:Cyanides; D011868:Radioisotopes; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D020887:Selenious Acid; D012643:Selenium; D011190:Potassium Cyanide