Neurotoxicity of furfuryl alcohol vapor in prolonged inhalation exposure

Evaluation of furfuryl alcohol sensitization potential following dermal and pulmonary exposure: enhancement of airway responsiveness

Furfuryl alcohol is considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be a high volume production chemical, with over 1 million pounds produced annually. Due to its high production volume and its numerous industrial and consumer uses, there is considerable potential for work-related exposure, as well as exposure to the general population, through pulmonary, oral, and dermal routes of exposure. Human exposure data report a high incidence of asthma in foundry mold workers exposed to furan resins, suggesting potential immunologic effects. Although furfuryl alcohol was nominated and evaluated for its carcinogenic potential by the National Toxicology Program, studies evaluating its immunotoxicity are lacking. The studies presented here evaluated the immunotoxic potential of furfuryl alcohol following exposure by the dermal and pulmonary routes using a murine model. When tested in a combined irritancy local lymph node assay, furfuryl alcohol was identified to be an irritant and mild sensitizer (EC3 = 25.6%). Pulmonary exposure to 2% furfuryl alcohol resulted in enhanced airway hyperreactivity, eosinophilic infiltration into the lungs, and enhanced cytokine production (IL-4, IL-5, and interferon-γ) by ex vivo stimulated lung-associated draining lymphoid cells. Airway hyperreactivity and eosinophilic lung infiltration were augmented by prior dermal exposure to furfuryl alcohol. These results suggest that furfuryl alcohol may play a role in the development of allergic airway disease and encourage the need for additional investigation.

Monitoring cytotoxic potentials of furfuryl alcohol and 2-furyl methyl ketone in mice

Furfuryl alcohol (FA) and 2-furyl methyl ketone (2FMK) are two dietary furans with wide industrial applications and also found in a variety of food items. In a mouse test system, the mutagenicity of these two compounds after five days of exposure has been reported. In the present study histopathological changes and biochemical alterations after a period of 5-90 days of exposure have been evaluated in target organs like liver and kidney. Hepatotoxicity in the form of pycnosis, vacuolation and focal necrosis was observed after 60 and 90 days of treatment with 2000 and 4000 ppm of FA. Kidney showed damage to tubular epithelium only after treatment with 4000 ppm of FA. 2-FMK did not show any noticeable damage to liver or kidney. Significant variations in total protein content and activity of aspartate and alanine aminotransferase (ASAT and ALAT) were observed in both liver and kidney after longer exposure to both the furans. There was an increased expression of two proteins of 92 and 94 KD in the liver of treated animals irrespective of the concentration or duration. It is apparent from the present study that dietary contamination with furans has definite hepatic and renal toxicity potentials in man.