title: Four-week toxicity study of phenyl isothiocyanate in rats.
abstract: In a subacute toxicity study, phenyl isothiocyanate (PIT) was administered to male rats on 5 days/wk by gastric intubation at dose levels of 0, 2.5, 10 and 40 mg/kg body weight/day for 4 wk. Body-weight gain was recorded weekly and a complete haematological examination and determinations of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and thyroxine in serum were performed. The heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, thyroid, adrenals and mesenteric lymph nodes were weighed and examined microscopically. In the highest dose group, slightly decreased growth and a statistically significant increase in mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration were noted. Relative heart, liver, kidney and adrenal weights also showed a statistically significant increase in the highest dose group. Total serum thyroxine and free thyroxine were decreased in the groups given 10 or 40 mg PIT/kg. Microscopic examinations revealed no abnormalities. The measurement of the serum thyroxine concentration appeared to be the most sensitive indicator of an effect in this experiment.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D017879:Isothiocyanates; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000633:toxicity*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D017879:Isothiocyanates; D013861:Thiocyanates; C005441:phenylisothiocyanate; D013974:Thyroxine