[Detoxification effects of two drugs in thallium -poisoned mice].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the thallium eliminating effect of prussian blue, pentetate zinc trisodium (Zn-DTPA), and their combined use in the treatment of acute thallium poisoning in mice.


METHODS
Thallium poisoned mice were reproduced by oral administration of 0.2 ml thallous nitrate (3 mg/ml). They were assigned randomly to four groups according to the random number table method, namely, model group, prussian blue group, Zn-DTPA group and the combination therapy group,  with  10 mice  in  each  group.  Prussian  blue  was  administered  orally [4.52 g×kg(-1)×d(-1), total four times], and Zn-DTPA was injected intraperitoneally [500 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1), one time]4 hours after giving thallium. The dosage of both drugs in combination treatment was as the same as described above. After treatment for 5 days, all the animals were sacrificed. Brain, intestine, kidney and liver of 1 mouse from each group were collected for pathological examination to observe the necrosis. Thallium contents of blood, brain, urine and feces from the other mice were determined.


RESULTS
Pathological examination showed that the damage to intestine, kidney and liver was less obvious in treatment group compared with those of the model group. The effect was most obvious in the combination treatment group. However, brain damage was slightly improved. Thallium content in blood (mg/ml) of prussian blue group and the combination treatment group decreased obviously compared with the model group, and the decrease was more obvious in the combination treatment group (0.05 ± 0.01 vs. 0.18 ± 0.02). Thallium content in urine (mg/ml) and feces (mg/kg) was significantly increased after treatment, and the thallium elimination was most significant in the combined treatment group (urine: 11.34 ± 0.81 vs. 0.02 ± 0.01, feces: 13.11 ± 1.84 vs. 0.21 ± 0.07, both P < 0.01). Thallium content in brain was similar among all the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The single and combined use of prussian blue and Zn-DTPA could reduce the damage in intestine, kidney and liver. Combined use of prussian blue and Zn-DTPA for acute thallium poisoning mice is more efficacious than single use of either drug.
Intensive Care Unit, Fuxing Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing 100038, China.
Ying
Y
Wang
Yue-zhong
YZ
He
Xi-gang
XG
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D000931:Antidotes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005295:Ferrocyanides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013793:Thallium / Q000506:poisoning*
D000931:Antidotes; D005295:Ferrocyanides; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D013793:Thallium; C000170:ferric ferrocyanide