RESUMO

OBJECTIVES: Lead exposure remains a significant environmental problem; lead is neurotoxic, especially in developing humans. In Mexico, lead in human blood is still a concern. Historically, much of the lead exposure is attributed to the use of handcrafted clay pottery for cooking, storing and serving food. However, experimental cause-and-effect demonstration is lacking. The present study explores this issue with a prospective experimental approach. METHODS: We used handcrafted clay containers to prepare and store lemonade, which was supplied as drinking water to pregnant rats throughout the gestational period. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: We found that clay pots, jars, and mugs leached on average 200 µg/l lead, and exposure to the lemonade resulted in 2.5 µg/dl of lead in the pregnant rats' blood. Neonates also showed increased lead content in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Caspase-3 activity was found to be statistically increased in the hippocampus in prenatally exposed neonates, suggesting increased apoptosis in that brain region. Glazed ceramics are still an important source of lead exposure in Mexico, and our results confirm that pregnancy is a vulnerable period for brain development.

Assuntos

Silicatos de Alumínio/química , Utensílios de Alimentação e Culinária , Exposição Dietética/efeitos adversos , Contaminação de Alimentos , Armazenamento de Alimentos/instrumentação , Intoxicação do Sistema Nervoso por Chumbo/etiologia , Chumbo/toxicidade , Animais , Animais Recém-Nascidos , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Cerebelo/efeitos dos fármacos , Cerebelo/metabolismo , Citrus/química , Argila , Feminino , Sucos de Frutas e Vegetais/efeitos adversos , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Humanos , Chumbo/sangue , Chumbo/metabolismo , Intoxicação do Sistema Nervoso por Chumbo/sangue , Masculino , Exposição Materna/efeitos adversos , México , Gravidez , Distribuição Aleatória , Ratos Wistar , Distribuição Tecidual , Toxicocinética