European journal of toxicology and environmental hygiene. Journal europeen de toxicologie最新文献

This lecture is divided into 3 parts. The first one is a general survey of mitoclasic agents with a review of the main categories and a summary of the conclusions obtained from a comparative study of the antimitotic properties of various compounds on animal cells and plant cells. The second part describes the results of personal ultrastructural studies carried out on plant cells. They include researches on the normal behavior of microtubules in the cells and an analysis of various kinds of inhibition. The last part deals with the action mechanism of mitoclasic compounds, especially colchicine.

Rats and hamsters were fed ETU at levels of 0, 5, 17, 60, 200 mg/kg in the diet. Body weights, food consumption, seric enzyme activities (GPT, alkaline phosphatase), hepatic enzyme activities (GPT, alkaline phosphatase G6PDH), cholesterolemia, thyroid weight and others organs, histology were the criteria studied. ETU was found causing hypercholesterolemia for the 2 species at 5 mg/kg dietary levels. Thyroid impairement is predominant in rat and hepatic impairment is predominant in hamster. ETU was found to be not carcinogenic for hamsters even at 200 mg/kg level and carcinogenic for rats at 60 mg/kg level for males and 200 mg/kg level for females.

The case of acute poisoning reported here raises the question of the harmlessness of preparations destined for cutaneous application in infants. After describing the method perfected for the identification and estimation of camphor, menthol and thymol in biological material, the authors present the toxicological, clinical and biological arguments in favour of the notion that the cutaneous resorption of these substances was responsible for this acute intoxication in an infant. Particular attention should be paid to poisoning which may result, in the newborn and infant, from the cutaneous application of active substances.

The authors report the possible interference due to minovine when seeking tricyclic antidepressant derivatives in biological material or pharmaceutical substances. However, their work has shown that kinetic studies using absorption spectrophotometry of the colouration obtained with phosphoric-ceric reagent and thin layer adsorbant chromatography make it possible to eliminate the doubt and identify the Vinca-Minor alkaloid.

The results of experiments on the Rat, about the effects of continuous inhalation of 1.60, 4.55 and 8,07 ppm of formaldehyde, are reported: 150 SPF male rats were observed during one and an half to three months. These experiments concerned the clinical observation of the rats, their body weight and food intake, the relative weights of their lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen, the number and activity of their alveolar macrophages harvested by pulmonary washing. 1degree At 1.60 ppm it was only observed a yellowing of the hair of the intoxicated rats. 2degrees At 4.55 ppm, besides, the body weight of the intoxicated animals became significantly lower than the controls. 3degrees At 8.07 ppm, in addition to those differences, it appeared signs of irritation in the upper respiratory tract and in the eyes of the intoxicated rats, a significant underfeeding and a percentage of liver weight lower than the controls. Besides, the relative number and the phagocytic ability of alveolar macrophages of intoxicated rats was significantly lower than the controls. It was not observed the phenomena of adaptation previously described in the experimental rat intoxication by acrolein.

The basis of the treatment of acute lithium intoxication is clearance of the poison from the blood. Lithium and sodium ions being excreted under the influence of furosemide, the authors feel, in the light of one case, that forced diuresis, non-agressive, using furosemide appears to be the method of choice.

Study of the course of bismuth encephalopathy following the ingestion of a bismuth salt in relation to blood and urinary bismuth levels indicates a close parallel between the improvement in the clinical picture and the decrease in the degree of toxic impregnation of the body. This confirms the direct responsibility of bismuth for the disorder. Regression of myocolonic movements goes with the fall in blood bismuth levels, whilst improvement in the confusional syndrome is aomewhat delayed. There is a significant correlation between bismuth levels in the blood and urine. The excretion of bismuth is slow, and the persistence of blood and urinary bismuth levels higher than normal for several weeks after the acute phases and the interruption of the ingestion of bismuth salts reflects the existence of stable bonds between the metal and cellular constituents. The authors have observed a non-negligeable solubility of bismuth sub-nitrate in certain drinking waters, which brings up the hypothesis of a possible role of the hydrosobulity of bismuth in the pathogenesis of the intoxication.

A method has been developed for gas-chromatographic determination of clonazepam ("Rivotril" or "Ro 5-4023") in plasma, using methyl-clonazepam ("Ro 4082") as an internal standard. Following extraction of the benzodiazepines and hydrolysis, the benzophenones are analyzed by gas-chromatography, using a glass column filled with 3% OV 225 on Gas Chrom Q and a 63Ni electron-capture detector. The technique has good selectivity. The limit of sensitivity is less than 1 ng/ml of plasma. Using this method the plasma kinetics of clonazepam may be studied in man and the correlations between plasma levels and therapeutic activity investigated. It is also available for toxicological analysis, as well as pharmacovigilance purpose. The same internal standard and a similar method can also be used for the determination of flunitrazpem ("Rohypnol" or "Ro 5-4200") and its major metabolite (N-desmethyl-flunitrazepam) in plasma.

The influence of asphyxia on electrocorticogram (E. Co. G.) and electrocardiogram (E. C. G.) has been studied in curarized rats. The delay between the heightening of the ST component of E. C. G. and the disappearance of E. Co. G. pattern was measured. It provided more useful information on cerebral survival during asphyxia than the only study of E. Co. G. did. This delay was increased (cerebral antihypoxic effect) after intravenous treatment with pyritinol (50 mg/kg), vincamine (5 mg/kg) or propranolol (1 mg/kg), but it was not influenced by pentobarbital (60 mg/kg).