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Biomedical subjects

E M den Tonkelaar

Publications and source records attributed to E M den Tonkelaar.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Toxicity of sodium bromide in rats: effects on endocrine system and reproduction.

Bromide has a low acute oral toxicity, with LD50 values in rodents ranging from 3500 to 7000 mg/kg body weight. It is rapidly absorbed and steady-state serum levels have been reached in rats within 4 weeks. The biological half-life of bromide, and consequently the serum levels, are strongly dependent on chloride intake. Feeding of sodium bromide to rats for 90 days in concentrations of 0, 75, 300, 1200, 4800 and 19,200 mg/kg diet led to a complex of changes in the endocrine system, thyroid activation being the most prominent. Furthermore, in the highest dose groups a decrease in spermatogenesis in the testes and decreased secretory activity of the prostate or a reduction in the number of corpora lutea in the ovaries were found. A three-generation reproduction study of the same dietary concentrations showed in the two highest dose groups a decrease in fertility which appeared to be reversible upon bromide withdrawal. Macroscopically, no changes in the offspring were observed. From these studies a no-effect level for bromide ion of 240 mg/kg diet was determined, corresponding to a tentative Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 0.12 mg/kg body weight. This is in good agreement with a preliminary ADI of 0.1 mg/kg established in an experiment with human volunteers, but is considerably lower than the ADI of 1 mg/kg estimated by FAO/WHO. It is suggested that bromide exerts an inhibitory effect on the thyroid, resulting in an increased hormonal stimulation of this organ by the pituitary gland.

Absorption↗

Effect of food deprivation on low level hexachlorobenzene exposure in rats.

The purpose of the present study was to determine if food deprivation could modify the biological activity of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in the rat. Male and female Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups containing 6 animals. Groups 1, 3 and 5 were fed standard control diet ad libitum for 2 weeks. For the next 4 weeks their respective diets contained 0, 20 and 100 ppm HCB. Groups 2, 4 and 6 were also fed a standard control diet for 2 weeks but at an intake of approximately 50% of those groups fed ad libitum. For the following 4 weeks food deprivation was continued but the control diets were replaced with diets containing 0, 40 or 200 ppm HCB. The parameters measured were food, body weight changes, changes in tissue weights, microsomal enzyme activity and histopathology of liver, kidneys, adrenals and pancreas. Tissue residue profiles were established for plasma, liver, brain and adrenals. Food deprivation augmented the induction of microsomal enzyme activity by HCB in both males and females at both dose levels. Liver hypertrophy was observed in both males and females fed 200 ppm HCB and subjected to food libitum. Food deprivation resulted in a higher plasma, liver, brain and adrenal accumulation of HCB in both males and females.

Adrenal Glands↗

Short-term toxicity of strontium chloride in rats.

A range-finding experiment with strontium chloride hexahydrate (0, 3, 30, 300 and 3000 ppm in the diet) and subsequently a 90-day test with the same compound at dose levels of 0, 75, 300, 1200 and 4800 ppm in a semipurified diet was carried out with SPF-derived Wistar-rats. The diet contained adequate levels of Ca, Mg, P and Vit.D3. Growth, food intake, behaviour and mortality were measured, extensive haematology and clinical biochemistry carried out, organ weights determined, X-ray photographs of the bones taken and complete histopathological examination was performed. In addition Sr-content of blood, bone and muscles was determined. Thyroid weights were significantly increased in the males of the 1200 and 4800 ppm group. Histological evidence for increased thyroid activity was noticed in the males of the 4800 ppm group. Pituitary weights were significantly decreased in the females of the 300 ppm and 4800 ppm group, but not of the 1200 ppm group. A histologically confirmed glycogen depletion of the liver was noted biochemically in the highest dose group (4800 ppm). Sr-content in bone was increased at all dose levels having a constant level from 4 weeks onwards, thus indicating that a no effect level cannot be established. If the increased Sr-concentration in the bone can be considered a non-toxic effect, the non-toxic effect level appears to be 309 ppm.

Animals↗

Short-term toxicity of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid in rats.

In a 90-day feeding study, 4 groups of 10 male and 10 female rats received in the diet 0,200, 1000 and 5000 ppm 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (1-NAA). Growth and food intake was reduced significantly only in males on 5000 ppm. Haematological examination yielded essentially negative results except for a non-significant reduction at the 1000 and 5000 ppn levels in the leucocyte count, mainly due to a reduction in neutrophils. No significant effects were observed in the renal concentration test, urinalysis, renal histochemistry or histology of a wide range of organs at any level of 1-NAA tested. Increased relative weights of thyroid, testes, brain and liver were confined to the 5000 ppm level. The increase in relative liver weight was not accompanied by histological liver damage and was associated with elevated liver microsomal enzyme activity. The loss of glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and increase in glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) seen histochemically in the centrilobular region of the liver in males on 5000 ppm, accompanied by glycogen depletion in the liver, could however be indicative of liver damage. On the basis of conventional criteria, a no-effect level of 1000 ppm would have been indicated by this study but in view of liver glycogen depletion at all levels tested a no-effect level was not established.

Animals↗