Comparison of DDT effect on pentobarbital metabolism in rats and quail

Abstract

In rats, the o,p'-and /,/'-isomers of DDT and the environmentally important analogs, DDE and DDD, induce increased levels of liver microsomal enzymes. A standard dose of pentobarbital, therefore, produced a shorter period of hypnosis and sleeping time in pesticide treated rats than in controls. In complete contrast to this situation in the mammalian species, the chlorinated pesticides inhibit liver metabolism of pentobarbital in Japanese quail, and longer sleeping times are observed. In both rats and quail, /,/'-DDT and /,/'-DDE accumulate in body lipid linearly with time on the diet to levels of 150 ppm in rats and 1500 ppm in quail. This tenfold difference in accumulation may represent a species difference. In both rats and quail, o,p'-DDT and ,/'-DDE only accumulate to a level of 15 ppm. In spite of very low accumulations in body lipid, the o,/'-isomers were very effective in stimulating or inhibiting pentobarbital metabolism, indicating that toxicological effects are more closely related to intake than to body burden.

Effects of different classes of pesticides on pentobarbital anesthesia and toxicity in Japanese quail

“…There is little literature on the effects of pesticides on sleeping times of birds. DDT treatment has been shown to lengthen sleeping times in Japanese quail (Bitman et al, 1971) and chickens (Stephen et al, 1971). In the present studies, a single oral dose of DDT, methoxychlor, and malathion prolonged pentobarbital sleeping times.…”

Nonconversion of o , p ′-DDT to p , p ′-DDT in Rats, Sheep, Chickens, and Quail

“…Studies of insulin release in vitro were carried out with mouse pancreas tissue by using a slight modification of a previously described incubation system (5). In the present studies, after an initial 15-minute preincubation, each piece of mouse pancreas underwent two sequential 30-minute incubations, and portions of each incubation medium were assayed for insulin.…”

Biological Effects of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Rats and Quail

“…The liver is the major site for the metabolism of foreign chemicals, and a standard dose of pentobarbital will produce a standard sleeping time. Stimulation of the liver enzymes which metabolize the barbiturate will be reflected in a shorter sleeping time, and conversely, any inhibition of the liver enzymes will be reflected in a longer duration of pentobarbital hypnosis (3).…”