title: Comparative acute systemic toxicity of sodium arsenite and dichloro(2-chlorovinyl)arsine in rabbits.
abstract: The acute intravenous toxicity of sodium arsenite and dichloro(2-chlorovinyl)arsine (lewisite) has been compared in rabbits to provide a quantitative and qualitative model for future assessment of treatments of lewisite poisoning. The LD50 of sodium arsenite was 7.6 mg.kg-1; that for lewisite was 1.8 mg.kg-1. On the basis of arsenic content the former was 6.5 times less toxic than the latter. Significant differences in tissue arsenic content and pathology were found between the 2 materials. Histologically, changes were observed in the lungs and gall bladder after lewisite injection but not after sodium arsenite. It was concluded that use of sodium arsenite is not a suitable substitute model for lewisite poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Pathology and Clinical Toxicology Section Medical Division, Chemical Defence Establishment, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Inns
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bright
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Marrs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000378:metabolism; D018053:Arsenites; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D017670:Sodium Compounds; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D018053:Arsenites; D017670:Sodium Compounds; C035965:lewisite; C017947:sodium arsenite; D001151:Arsenic