Study on the metabolism of physiological amounts of Cr(III) intragastrical administration in normal rats using activable enriched stable isotope Cr-50 compound as a tracer

In order to study the metabolism of physiological amounts of51Cr (10 μg/100 g of body wt.) intragastrically administered in rats, the activable enriched stable isotope Cr-50 compound Cr2O3 was used as a tracer. The absorption and distribution of51Cr(III) in rats with time were studied. Significant51Cr contents were found in all the organs and tissues of interest. The kidney, liver and bone contain higher amounts of51Cr than others. The fact that specific activities of51Cr are notably high in kidney, bone, spleen and pancreas and decrease gradually with time suggests that there are tighter binding of chromium in these organs. The excretion of51Cr at various time intervals was also studied. Almost totally intragastrically administered dose was excreted in the feces. The increased urinary excretion of51Cr with time indicates that the urine-chromium is the metabolic derivative of organism. In view of the tissues distribution and excretion, it can be concluded that no more that 1% of the dose was absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.