The results of a toxicological study of isopropyl meta-carborane with its multiple (chronic) intake into the body of laboratory animals

Abstract

The results of a toxicological study of isopropyl meta-carborane with its repeated (chronic) administration to rats, mainly in the form of inhalations, are presented for the first time to fill in the missing information on the toxicology of carboranes that have found wide application in various fields of human economic activity. The aim of the study was to identify the characteristic features of the organism's response to repeated exposure to the substance, as well as the possible specificity inherent in boron compounds. Methods. Along with numerous typical methods of preventive toxicology (physiological, hematological, biochemical, morphological), the methods for evaluation of possible mutagenic (dominant lethal mutations, chromosomal aberrations) of gonadotoxic and embryotoxic effects were used. Statistical processing of data was carried out using the programs "Microsoft Office Excel 2007" and "Biostat". Differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05, using a parametric test. Results. The conducted investigations established signs of the toxic effect of the substance, mainly at the level of high concentrations, with a change in behavioral responses and against this background, an increase in the activity of ATPase and a decrease in SDGase activity in the brain homogenate, as well as hematological (anemia, phagocytosis), biochemical (increased catalase activity, ALT activity in liver homogenate and serum levels), physiological (increase in oxygen consumption) and pathological parameters. At the same levels of exposure, an increase in postimplantation death of embryos, a decrease in the motility of spermatozoa, a decrease in the ability of females to survive live embryos were found. Conclusion. On the basis of the data obtained, isopropyl meta-carborane is classified as polytropic, but under conditions of multiple (chronic) inhalation administration to animals with a pronounced gonadotoxic effect that does not appear when exposed to a concentration of 3 mg/m³.