Clinical Pathology Changes Related to Cutaneous Irritation in the Fischer 344 Rat and New Zealand White Rabbit

Acute toxicity study of tilmicosin-loaded hydrogenated castor oil-solid lipid nanoparticles

BACKGROUND

Our previous studies demonstrated that tilmicosin-loaded hydrogenated castor oil solid lipid nanoparticles (Til-HCO-SLN) are a promising formulation for enhanced pharmacological activity and therapeutic efficacy in veterinary use. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the acute toxicity of Til-HCO-SLN.

METHODS

Two nanoparticle doses were used for the study in ICR mice. The low dose (766 mg/kg.bw) with tilmicosin 7.5 times of the clinic dosage and below the median lethal dose (LD(50)) was subcutaneously administered twice on the first and 7th day. The single high dose (5 g/kg.bw) was the practical upper limit in an acute toxicity study and was administered subcutaneously on the first day. Blank HCO-SLN, native tilmicosin, and saline solution were included as controls. After medication, animals were monitored over 14 days, and then necropsied. Signs of toxicity were evaluated via mortality, symptoms of treatment effect, gross and microscopic pathology, and hematologic and biochemical parameters.

RESULTS

After administration of native tilmicosin, all mice died within 2 h in the high dose group, in the low dose group 3 died after the first and 2 died after the second injections. The surviving mice in the tilmicosin low dose group showed hypoactivity, accelerated breath, gloomy spirit and lethargy. In contrast, all mice in Til-HCO-SLN and blank HCO-SLN groups survived at both low and high doses. The high nanoparticle dose induced transient clinical symptoms of treatment effect such as transient reversible action retardation, anorexy and gloomy spirit, increased spleen and liver coefficients and decreased heart coefficients, microscopic pathological changes of liver, spleen and heart, and minor changes in hematologic and biochemical parameters, but no adverse effects were observed in the nanoparticle low dose group.

CONCLUSIONS

The results revealed that the LD50 of Til-HCO-SLN and blank HCO-SLN exceeded 5 g/kg.bw and thus the nanoparticles are considered low toxic according to the toxicity categories of chemicals. Moreover, HCO-SLN significantly decreased the toxicity of tilmicosin. Normal clinic dosage of Til-HCO-SLN is safe as evaluated by acute toxicity.

Percutaneous toxicokinetic and repeated cutaneous contact studies with ethylene glycol monohexyl ether

Ethylene glycol monohexyl ether (EGHE; CAS no. 112-54-4) is a liquid industrial chemical with a potential for skin contact. The toxicokinetics of EGHE was investigated in Fischer 344 rats and New Zealand White rabbits by intravenous (i.v.) and 48-h occluded epicutaneous dosing. Given i.v. to male rats (2.5-25 mg kg(-1)) [(14)C]EGHE demonstrated fi rst-order kinetics. Carbon-14 was eliminated mainly in urine (68-74%) as metabolites, with no free EGHE. The plasma free EGHE concentration declined rapidly post-dosing and was not detectable by 8 h. Similar results were obtained for [(14)C]EGHE given i.v. to male rabbits in the dosage range 1-10 mg kg(-1), except that the metabolism of EGHE was more rapid, with no free EGHE being detectable in plasma by 1 h post-dosing. After cutaneous dosing of male and female rats with 25 mg kg(-1), there was rapid percutaneous absorption, with >95% of the radiochemical dose being recovered. Percutaneous bioavailability was >75%. Carbon-14 was excreted in urine (21-33%) to a lesser extent than by the i.v. route, and (14)CO(2) and volatiles accounted for 15-18%. Carbon-14 recovery was low from tissues and organs (0.39-0.46%), with no preferential accumulation. Extensive metabolism was indicated by the rapid decline in plasma free EGHE, with none being detectable by 48 h. Free EGHE was not present in urine, and urinary radioactivity was associated with up to seven metabolites. After cutaneous dosing of male and female rabbits (10 mg kg(-1)) ca. 75% of the dose was recovered, most (14)C being in urine (58-60%). Urine radioactivity was associated with up to nine metabolite peaks, but no free EGHE. The toxicokinetic findings indicate a significant percutaneous absorption of EGHE across both rat and rabbit skin, which is rapidly and extensively metabolized, with renal excretion being the principal route of elimination of metabolites. A 9-day repeated skin contact study in the male and female New Zealand White rabbit, using a dosage range of 44-444 mg kg(-1) day(-1), did not show any evidence for percutaneous systemic toxicity.

Toxicity and pharmacokinetics of 2-(2-dimethylaminoethoxy)ethanol following cutaneous dosing

A 9-day repeated cutaneous toxicity study in the New Zealand White rabbit was conducted using 6-h occluded contact with 0 (water control), 50, 250 and 500 mg dimethylaminoethoxyethanol (DMEE)/kg. There were no clinical signs, and no effects on body weight, food consumption or serum chemistry. Hematological effects were limted to increased leukocyte count due to heterophil leukocytosis, increased platelet count, and decreased hemoglobin and hematocrit at the high dose. These findings are typical of the response of cutaneous inflammation. Histopathological findings were limited to the DMEE-treated skin, and consisted of acanthosis and ulcerative/necrotizing dermatitis. Thus, there was no evidence for cumulative percutaneous systemic toxicity for DMEE. The pharmacokinetics of DMEE was investigated in the Fischer 344 rats. Rats were given an intravenous dose of 15 or 150 mg/kg, or an occluded cutaneous dose of 150 mg/kg [14C]DMEE, and its fate was followed for 48-72 h. DMEE was readily absorbed through the skin (bioavailability=72-80%). Concentration in plasma rose steadily to a maximum at about 3.5 h after dosing, and then declined in a biphasic manner. 14C-DMEE-derived radioactivity was distributed throughout the body, with no apparent sequestration in any particular organ. The highest concentrations were observed in the kidney, liver and lung, and the lowest concentrations were found in the brain and fat. Urine was the major route of excretion, with minor amounts eliminated in the feces and as expired CO(2). The rate of excretion was moderate, with about 30% of the applied dose eliminated in the first 12 h, and by 72 h after dosing, less than 4% of the dose remained in the carcass. Unchanged DMEE was the principal component detected in the urine. This observation, together with the less than 1% of the dose excreted as CO(2), showed that metabolism was not an important process in the elimination of DMEE in the rat.

Toxicological, medical and industrial hygiene aspects of glutaraldehyde with particular reference to its biocidal use in cold sterilization procedures

Aqueous solutions of > or =5% glutaraldehyde (GA) are of moderate acute peroral toxicity and those of < or =2% are of slight toxicity. By single sustained skin contact, aqueous GA solutions of > or =45% are of moderate acute percutaneous toxicity, those of 25% are of slight toxicity and those of </=15% do not present an acute percutaneous hazard. Vapor generated at ambient temperature may cause sensory irritant effects to the eye and respiratory tract, but not acute respiratory tract injury. The 50% decrease in respiratory rate (rd(50)) is 13.86 ppm. A 0.1% solution of GA is not irritating to the eye; the threshold for conjunctival irritation is 0.2% and for corneal injury it is 1.0%. Eye injury is moderate at 2% and severe at > or =5%. Primary skin irritation depends on the duration and contact site, occlusion and solvent. By sustained contact, the threshold for skin irritation is 1%, above which erythema and edema are dose related. With 45% and higher, skin corrosion may occur. There is a low incidence of skin sensitizing reactions, with an eliciting threshold of 0.5% aqueous GA. However, GA is neither phototoxic nor photosensitizing. Subchronic repeated exposure studies by the peroral route show only renal physiological compensatory effects, secondary to reduced water consumption. Repeated skin contact shows only minor skin irritant effects without systemic toxicity. By subchronic vapor exposure, effects are limited to the nasal mucosa at 1.0 ppm, with a no-effect concentration generally at 0.1 ppm. There is no evidence for systemic target organ or tissue toxicity by subchronic repeated exposure by any route. A chronic drinking water study showed an apparent increase, in females only, of large granular cell lymphocytic leukemia but this was not dosage related. This is most likely the result of a modifying effect on the factor(s) responsible for the expression of this commonly occurring rat neoplasm. A chronic (2-year) inhalation toxicity/oncogenicity study showed inflammatory changes in the anterior nasal cavity but no neoplasms or systemic toxicity. In vitro genotoxicity studies--bacterial mutagenicity, forward gene mutation (HGPRT and TK loci), sister chromatid exchange, chromosome aberration, UDS and DNA repair tests--have given variable results, ranging from no effect through to weak positive. In vivo genotoxicity studies--micronucleus, chromosome aberration, dominant lethal and Drosophila tests--generally have shown no activity but one mouse intraperitoneal study showed bone marrow cell chromosome aberrations. Developmental toxicity studies show GA not to be teratogenic, and a two-generation study showed no adverse reproductive effects. Percutaneous pharmacokinetic studies showed low skin penetration, with lowest values measured in vitro in rats and human skin. Overexposure of humans produces typical sensory irritant effects on the eye, skin and respiratory tract. Some reports have described an asthmatic-like reaction by overexposure to GA vapor. In most cases this resembles reactive airways dysfunction syndrome, and the role of immune mechanisms is uncertain. Local mucosal effects may occur if medical instruments or endoscopes are not adequately decontaminated. Protection of individuals from the potential adverse effects of GA exposure requires that there be adequate protection of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. The airborne concentration of GA vapor should be kept below the recommended safe exposure level (e.g. the threshold limit value) by the use of engineering controls. Those who work with GA should, through a training program, be aware of the properties of GA, its potential adverse effects, how to handle the material safely and how to deal with accidental situations involving GA. If effects develop in exposed workers, the reasons should be determined immediately and corrective methods initiated. (c) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.