Liver and brain DNA contents in acute soman intoxication.

Abstract

Contents of DNA in the liver and brain parts (cerebellum, pons, hemispheres) of the rat following acute intoxication with soman (i. m., 32 micrograms/kg) were studied. Statistically significant increase of DNA concentrations in the liver and decrease in the hemispheres 1 and 3 hours after the intoxication was demonstrated; in other brain parts studied, no changes were detected. The blood acetylcholinesterase activity was diminished 1 hour after the injection of soman and it was statistically significant 3 days following poisoning. In rats pretreated with atropinee (i. m., 200 mg/kg) and intoxicated with higher dose of soman (i. m., 50 micrograms/kg), specific activity of incorporation of radiolabelled thymidine into DNA was significantly decreased in the liver only. The results suggested that soman except cholinergic effects also influenced metabolism of nucleic acids.