Biomaterial Database

Absorption of mercuric sulphide following oral administration in mice. 1986

T S Yeoh, and A S Lee, and H S Lee

Mercuric sulphide or its counterpart cinnabar occurring in nature has long been associated with Chinese traditional medicine. Because of the reputed insolubility of this compound it has been assumed that it would not be significantly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration. In this study groups of mice were fed a diet containing either mercuric sulphide or cinnabar. Their urine was collected on alternate days for a 1-week period at the end of which they were killed and their livers and kidneys assayed for mercury by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mercury contents in their urine and organs were found to be significantly higher compared to control mice (P less than 0.001) indicating that significant absorption of mercury from the gut has occurred.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007408	Intestinal Absorption	Uptake of substances through the lining of the INTESTINES.	Absorption, Intestinal
D007668	Kidney	Body organ that filters blood for the secretion of URINE and that regulates ion concentrations.	Kidneys
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008297	Male		Males
D008628	Mercury	A silver metallic element that exists as a liquid at room temperature. It has the atomic symbol Hg (from hydrargyrum, liquid silver), atomic number 80, and atomic weight 200.59. Mercury is used in many industrial applications and its salts have been employed therapeutically as purgatives, antisyphilitics, disinfectants, and astringents. It can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes which leads to MERCURY POISONING. Because of its toxicity, the clinical use of mercury and mercurials is diminishing.
D005260	Female		Females
D000284	Administration, Oral	The giving of drugs, chemicals, or other substances by mouth.	Drug Administration, Oral,Administration, Oral Drug,Oral Administration,Oral Drug Administration,Administrations, Oral,Administrations, Oral Drug,Drug Administrations, Oral,Oral Administrations,Oral Drug Administrations
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D017669	Mercury Compounds	Inorganic compounds that contain mercury as an integral part of the molecule.	Compounds, Mercury
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus