Toxic effects of acute inhalation exposure to 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (pseudocumene) in experimental animals.
Neurotoxic and sensory respiratory irritation effects of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (pseudocumene) in male rats and male Balb/C mice were investigated in condition of acute inhalation exposure. Rotarod performance and pain sensitivity behaviour were tested in rats exposed to pseudocumene at concentrations of 1230-9840 mg/m3 (250-2000 ppm) immediately after termination of a four-hour exposure. The respiratory rate was measured in mice by the whole body plethysmographic method in 6 min duration exposure to various concentrations of pseudocumene. Exposure to pseudocumene resulted in concentration-dependent disturbances in rotarod performance, decrease in pain sensitivity in rats and depression of respiratory rate in mice. The EC50 value for rotarod performance behaviour disturbances was 4693 mg/m3 (954 ppm) and for decrease pain sensitivity EC50 was 5682 mg/m3 (1155 ppm). The concentration depressing the respiratory rate to 50% (RD50) was 2843 mg/m3 (578 ppm). As based on RD50 value the MAC values for pseudocumene 85 mg/m3 (17.0 ppm) is suggested.
Department of Toxicity Evaluation, The Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland.
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Korsak
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Swiercz
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Rydzynski
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects*
D001555:Benzene Derivatives; C010313:pseudocumene