Toxicity of benzyl alcohol in adult and neonatal mice

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6855649

McCloskey, S E

Benzyl alcohol (BA) is an aromatic alcohol, which is used as a bacteriostat in a variety of parenteral preparations. In 1982, it was implicated as the agent responsible for precipitating The Gasping Syndrome in premature neonates. The investigate further this toxicity, BA was administered, intraperiotoneally, to adult and neonatal CD-1 male mice. Gross behavioral changes were monitored. Low doses produced minimal toxic effects within an initial 4 hour observation period. At the end of this time, the LD/sub 50/ was determined to be 1000 mg/kg for both age groups. Death was due to respiratory arrest in all cases. Rapid absorption and conversion of BA to its primary metabolite, benzaldehyde, was demonstrated by gas chromatographic analysis of plasma from both experimental groups. The conversion of BA to benzaldehyde was confirmed in in vitro by using both horse-liver and mouse liver ADH. The inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) by pyrazole was similarly demonstrated in both enzyme systems. /sup 14/C-labelled BA was utilized to determine the distribution of BA and its metabolites in the body, and to possibly pinpoint a target organ of toxicity.

• Research Organization: Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6855649
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BENZALDEHYDE
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
BENZYL ALCOHOL
METABOLISM
TOXICITY
BEHAVIOR
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
HORSES
INTRAPERITONEAL INJECTION
LIVER
METABOLITES
MICE
NEONATES
OXIDOREDUCTASES
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BODY
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
ENZYMES
GLANDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INJECTION
INTAKE
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RODENTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
550501 - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques