Effects of long-term low-dose cyanide administration to rats.
Chronic exposure to cyanide has been associated with development of pancreatic diabetes, hypothyroidism, and several neurological diseases in both humans and animals. However, there is a limited number of experimental models for these pathologies. Thus, in the present study 0, 0.15, 0.3, or 0.6 mg KCN/kg body weight/day was administered for 3 months to 26 rats. On the last day, plasma samples were obtained for glucose, cholesterol, and thyroidal hormone measurement, and the pancreas, thyroids, and whole central nervous system were collected for histopathologic study. There were no significant difference in plasma concentrations of the substances measured between groups, and no lesions were found in the pancrease or thyroid. The CNS of experimental animals revealed the presence of spheroids on the ventral horn of the spinal cord, neuron loss in the hippocampus, damaged Purkinje cells, and loss of cerebellar white matter. In conclusion, cyanide administration could promote neuropathological lesions in rats without affecting pancreas or thyroid gland metabolism.
Soto-Blanco
Benito
B
Research Center for Veterinary Toxicology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Marioka
Paulo César
PC
Górniak
Silvana Lima
SL
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects; D011042:Poisons / Q000633:toxicity*; D011190:Potassium Cyanide / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects
D011042:Poisons; D011190:Potassium Cyanide