Effect of lead and ancylostomiasis on phosphatases of heart in Swiss albino mice.

Administration of 0.01 and 0.1 mg of lead nitrate for 4 and 7 days and infection of Ancylostoma caninum larvae orally altered the activation of alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase in the hearts of mice when compared to infected animals and controls. Alkaline phosphatase activity increased significantly in all drug-treated + infected mice. The level of acid phosphatase decreased significantly in mice exposed to chronic doses of lead. The altered levels of alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase suggest that administration of lead could cause toxicity in the heart, disturbing the cellular metabolism; infection alone could not cause any significant changes in enzymes of heart.