title: Acute effects of some volatile nitrites on motor performance and lethality in mice.
abstract: Mice were examined for effects on lethality and motor performance on an inverted screen test following inhalation exposure to isoamyl, n-butyl and isobutyl nitrite. All three nitrites produced concentration-related effects on both measures, with EC50s for motor performance only about one-half of the LC50s for lethality. Isoamyl and isobutyl nitrite were equally potent on both lethality and motor performance measures, whereas n-butyl nitrite was significantly more potent than isoamyl and isobutyl for lethality. Slope estimates of the concentration-effect curves for lethality were significantly greater than those of the motor performance measure. The steepness of the concentration-effect curves and low LC50/EC50 ratios relative to abused organic solvents suggest that behaviorally active concentrations of volatile nitrites may put users at risk to other health consequences.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Coggeshall
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dragan
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Breen
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Balster
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000680:Amyl Nitrite / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000633:toxicity; D004347:Drug Interactions; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000633:toxicity*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009573:Nitrites / Q000633:toxicity*; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D009573:Nitrites; C024225:n-butyl nitrite; C048958:isoamyl nitrite; D000680:Amyl Nitrite; C018086:isobutyl nitrite; D003042:Cocaine