Influence of vitamin A on hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) toxicity in the rat.

Joseph, P. and Shivanandappa, T. and Krishnakumari, M. K. (1992) Influence of vitamin A on hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) toxicity in the rat. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 3 (8). pp. 408-414.

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Abstract

The influence of vitamin A on the acute oral toxicity of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) was investigated in male albino rats. Rats were given a synthetic diet free of vitamin A or containing vitamin A 2000 or 105 IU/kg for 12 weeks. The hepatic vitamin A contents of the 3 diet groups were markedly different at the end of week 9, when very mild signs of deficiency were noticed only in the rats fed on the vitamin A-free diet. The acute oral toxicity of HCH determined at the end of week 9 of feeding on the basis of LD10, LD50 and LD90 values, and signs of toxicity and serum and liver concentrations of the marker enzymes of toxicity revealed greater susceptibility of the vitamin A-deficient rats to HCH toxicity. Assay of the activities of hepatic xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes showed slight-to-moderate decreases in specific activities of cytochrome P-450, N-demethylase, beta-glucuronidase and glucuronyl transferase in the vitamin A-deficient rats, though the activity of glutathione S-transferase was slightly higher in them compared with that of the supplemented rats. The results suggest the possibility that the greater susceptibility of the vitamin A-deficient rats to HCH toxicity could be due to the impaired detoxification of HCH, as inferred from the reduced activities of the hepatic microsomal enzymes of detoxification in those rats. Also, vitamin A supplementation, particularly in excess, but not at hypervitaminotic levels, is protective in the rats against HCH toxicity, possibly due to the more efficient detoxification of the chemical.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	HCH-; toxicity-; retinol-
Subjects:	600 Technology > 01 Medical sciences > 17 Toxicology 600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 16 Nutritive value > 04 Vitamins
Divisions:	Food Protectants and Infestation Control
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	17 Jun 2011 09:05
Last Modified:	28 Dec 2011 09:54
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/6540

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