Cadmium is a neurotoxic heavy metal and is considered endocrine disruptor. In this work, we investigate the effects of cadmium on the 24 h changes of aspartate, glutamate, and glutamine content in the pituitary. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with 25 or 50 mg/l of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) in the drinking water for 30 days. Metal exposure with the lowest dose induced the disappearance of the nocturnal peak of anterior pituitary amino acid content, and the appearance of a peak of glutamine concentration during the resting phase of the photoperiod. After exposure to 50 mg/l of CdCl2, the peaks of anterior pituitary amino acid content at 12:00 and 00:00 h disappeared, and two minimal values at these same hours and a peak at 08:00 h appeared. In the posterior pituitary, cadmium treatment with the lowest dose induced the appearance of a peak of aspartate and glutamate concentration at 12:00 h, and the disappearance of the peak of glutamine content at 16:00 h. After exposure to 50 mg/l of CdCl2 aspartate and glutamate daily pattern presented two maximal values between 00:00 and 04:00 h, and the metal abolished glutamine daily pattern. These results suggest that cadmium disrupted aspartate, glutamate, and glutamine daily pattern in the pituitary.
