N-3-pyridylmethyl-N'-p-nitrophenylurea ocular toxicity in man and rabbits.
Ingestion of the rat poison N-3-pyridylmethyl-N'-p-nitrophenylurea (PNU) produced ocular toxicity in three humans and in an animal model, the Dutch Belted rabbit. The electroretinogram b wave was especially susceptible to the effects of the rodenticide, and the target tissue appeared to be the retinal pigment epithelium. Injection of PNU itself did not produce ocular toxicity. The poison had to be administered orally. Gentamicin administered orally with PNU prevented the ocular toxicity. Presumably this antibiotic killed those gastrointestinal bacteria responsible for PNU's metabolism into an ocular toxin. L-tryptophan, a known antidote for the lethal effects of PNU, was an antidote for the ocular toxicity when administered orally but not when administered parenterally.
Department of Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York.
J S
JS
Mindel
A B
AB
Kharlamb
A H
AH
Friedman
J H
JH
Karam
R D
RD
Stone
I M
IM
Siegel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004596:Electroretinography; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000506:poisoning / Q000633:toxicity*; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000503:physiopathology; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012378:Rodenticides / Q000506:poisoning / Q000633:toxicity*; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005839:Gentamicins; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D012378:Rodenticides; D014364:Tryptophan; C012598:pyriminil