Cadmium detoxification effect of Chinese parsley Coriandrum sativum in liver and kidney of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Although fish feed supplemented with Chinese parsley (CP), Coriandrum sativum, does not affect the health of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, it has the remarkable effect of reducing the uptake of Cd (12–17% compared with controls without CP). Here, we measured the change in the amount of metallothionein (MT) in the liver and kidney using gel permeation chromatography-high-performance liquid chromatography (TSK GEL SW 3000 column). The increase in MT content over time in the Cd-fed groups corresponded to the change in Cd accumulation. Gel permeation was performed with soluble fractions from the fish liver and kidney, and changes in the Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations over time for each fraction, and the relationship between the form of Cd that accumulated in tissues and its toxicity were measured. A nontoxic MT fraction of 7,000 Da and a high-molecular-weight fraction of approximately 60,000 Da were isolated from the soluble fractions. The induction of nontoxic MT–Cd was higher in the CP-supplemented groups than in the control groups. The synergetic actions of several compounds in CP may contribute to bind MT, thereby preventing accumulation of harmful heavy metals and essential metals in fish.