290
C. R. Krishna Murti and T. S. S. Dikshith
treated with a single dose of fenitrothion (750 mg/kg) through skin painting did
not suggest any relationship between the RBC Mg2 + level and inhibition of
cholinesterase activity, but the latter showed a continuous decrease in plasma
up to 8 hr after treatment (Khanna et al., 1977; Anand et al., 1977).
Rats treated with a single dose of phenthoate orally or dermally exhibited
typical symptoms of organophosphorus poisoning and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity in the blood and brain (Gupta, 1976a). Dermal painting of
endosulfan in chloroform produced clinical symptoms of toxicity and mild to
severe histopathological changes in some of the vital organs of the animal (Gupta,
1976a).
Exposure of male rats to parathion (2.6 mg/kg), lindane (17.6 mg/kg), or
their combination through oral intubation daily for a period of 90 days produced
histological and biochemical alterations in the liver and testis. The focal necrosis
of the liver, although observed in all the treatments, was very prominent in the
animals exposed to lindane alone. The kidney and epididymis, however, did not
show any significant histological lesions. The activity of acetylcholinesterase in
the blood and brain decreased markedly, whereas that of succinic dehydrogenase,
adenosine triphosphatase, and the alkaline and acid phosphatases in the liver and
testis showed significant alterations for all three treatments (Dikshith et al.,
1978a).
Dermal application of benzene hexachloride in daily doses of 100,200 and
500 mg/kg for a total period of 30 days caused significant changes in male guinea
pigs. The animals exposed to high doses of BHC died within 5-12 days. There
was no mortality in 100 mg/kg per day, but significant pathologic and biochemical
changes were observed in the vital organs of the experimental animals. Massive
congestion and thickened blood vessels were seen in the liver of the BHC-treated
animals in comparison to the controls. Similarly, testicular changes included
mild to severe pathologic lesions. There was no change in the epididymis, kidney,
spleen, brain, and lungs. The changes in the skin were mild and no signs of
dermatitis were observed in the BHC-painted areas. The activity of glutamic
oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) , and
alkaline phosphatase in the liver and serum revealed significant changes from
that of the controls (Dikshith et al., 1978b).
Daily oral administration of paraquat, a well-known herbicide, at a dose
of 11 mg/kg for 30 days induced no toxic symptoms in rabbits. There were no
deaths due to paraquat feeding. The morphological changes in the liver, kidney,
testis, epididymis, and adrenal were not significant. Of the 12 animals, only one
showed marked emphysema, interstitial and interalveolar fibrosis of the lung.
The lumen of the smaller bronchioles was filled with edematous fluid. In contrast
to mild morphological changes the activity of GOT and GPT in the lungs and
serum of treated animals indicated a significant decrease and increase respectively. Serum alkaline and acid phosphatase also presented a significant depletion
or mild elevation of the respective enzymes (Dikshith et al., 1979). Prolonged
C. R. Krishna Murti and T. S. S. Dikshith
treated with a single dose of fenitrothion (750 mg/kg) through skin painting did
not suggest any relationship between the RBC Mg2 + level and inhibition of
cholinesterase activity, but the latter showed a continuous decrease in plasma
up to 8 hr after treatment (Khanna et al., 1977; Anand et al., 1977).
Rats treated with a single dose of phenthoate orally or dermally exhibited
typical symptoms of organophosphorus poisoning and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity in the blood and brain (Gupta, 1976a). Dermal painting of
endosulfan in chloroform produced clinical symptoms of toxicity and mild to
severe histopathological changes in some of the vital organs of the animal (Gupta,
1976a).
Exposure of male rats to parathion (2.6 mg/kg), lindane (17.6 mg/kg), or
their combination through oral intubation daily for a period of 90 days produced
histological and biochemical alterations in the liver and testis. The focal necrosis
of the liver, although observed in all the treatments, was very prominent in the
animals exposed to lindane alone. The kidney and epididymis, however, did not
show any significant histological lesions. The activity of acetylcholinesterase in
the blood and brain decreased markedly, whereas that of succinic dehydrogenase,
adenosine triphosphatase, and the alkaline and acid phosphatases in the liver and
testis showed significant alterations for all three treatments (Dikshith et al.,
1978a).
Dermal application of benzene hexachloride in daily doses of 100,200 and
500 mg/kg for a total period of 30 days caused significant changes in male guinea
pigs. The animals exposed to high doses of BHC died within 5-12 days. There
was no mortality in 100 mg/kg per day, but significant pathologic and biochemical
changes were observed in the vital organs of the experimental animals. Massive
congestion and thickened blood vessels were seen in the liver of the BHC-treated
animals in comparison to the controls. Similarly, testicular changes included
mild to severe pathologic lesions. There was no change in the epididymis, kidney,
spleen, brain, and lungs. The changes in the skin were mild and no signs of
dermatitis were observed in the BHC-painted areas. The activity of glutamic
oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) , and
alkaline phosphatase in the liver and serum revealed significant changes from
that of the controls (Dikshith et al., 1978b).
Daily oral administration of paraquat, a well-known herbicide, at a dose
of 11 mg/kg for 30 days induced no toxic symptoms in rabbits. There were no
deaths due to paraquat feeding. The morphological changes in the liver, kidney,
testis, epididymis, and adrenal were not significant. Of the 12 animals, only one
showed marked emphysema, interstitial and interalveolar fibrosis of the lung.
The lumen of the smaller bronchioles was filled with edematous fluid. In contrast
to mild morphological changes the activity of GOT and GPT in the lungs and
serum of treated animals indicated a significant decrease and increase respectively. Serum alkaline and acid phosphatase also presented a significant depletion
or mild elevation of the respective enzymes (Dikshith et al., 1979). Prolonged