title: [Toxicity of hexachlorobenzene in Meriones unguiculatus: effects on thyroid and liver].
abstract: The effect of in vivo administered hexachlorobenzene (HCB) on liver and thyroid was studied on Meriones unguiculatus. HCB (1.6, 4, and 16 mg/kg of body weight) has been administered orally to meriones for 30 days. At the end of the experiment, the body weight of the animals did not show significant change. However, the higher dose of HCB treatment led to a pronounced hepatic hypertrophy comparatively to controls. Histological observations revealed many cytomorphological alterations. Cellular necrosis, periportal, and centrolobular vein congestion and cytoplasmic vacuolisation were noted and correlated with the administered doses of HCB. The higher dose of HCB induced modifications in the activities of hepatic transaminases and on thyroid hormones levels: ALAT activity level was more pronounced in males (170+/-24.7 U/l vs. 52.66+/-8.29 U/l in controls) than in females (120+/-12.47 U/l vs. 56+/-5 U/l in controls). However, ASAT activity increased significantly only in females (259+/-29 U/l vs. 244.66+/-18 U/l in controls). Plasma total triiodothyronine (TT3) and total thyroxine (TT4) levels seemed to be sex-dependent in intoxicated animals, since TT4 decreased significantly in males (21.95+/-7.46 nmol/l vs. 40.59+/-1.08 nmol/l in controls) and TT3 in females (1.42+/-0.11 nmol/l vs. 3.96+/-0.48 nmol/l in controls).
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de physiologie animale, département des sciences biologiques, UR Physiologie environnementale et biorythmes, faculté des sciences de Tunis, Tunisie. bitrilotfi@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bitri
authors.forename: Nedra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dhaouadi
authors.forename: Latifa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ouertani
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maurel
authors.forename: Moncef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Saad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000633:toxicity*; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D009336:Necrosis; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D006581:Hexachlorobenzene