Studies on acute cadmium exposure in lung, adrenal and spleen of squirrels (Funambulus pennanti, Wroughton 1905) after different administrative routes.

Cadmium acetate exposure revealed lung lesions by a single i.t. injection (8.0 mg Cd/Kg) ; and adrenal and spleen lesions by a single i.p. injection (6.0 mg Cd/Kg) in male laboratory-bred squirrels after different intervals of the weeklong study. The squirrels after i.t. injection did not show any pathological change in adrenal and spleen. However, lung showed emphysematous changes and peribronchiolar infiltratation by inflammatory cells. On the other hand, the i.p. injection did not reveal any of the changes in lung. But, the outer cortex of adrenal showed minimal fatty change and haemorrhage in medulla. Spleen revealed congestion in the pulp, thickening of the capsular wall and the infiltration of lymphocytes just below the capsular wall. Afer 7 days, i.t. and control groups increased by 1.14 and 1.15 folds in body weight, whereas, i.p. showed augmentative effect by 1.01 folds. The results suggest that i.p. injection is more toxic than i.t. injection as evident from the bodyweight.