Effects of perinatal exposure of albino rats to chloroquine.

The effects of perinatal exposure of Wistar-derived albino rats to chloroquine were studied. Chronic exposure to 10 mg/kg of chloroquine phosphate during intra-uterine and postnatal life resulted in a marked decrease in neonatal and postweaning body and organ weights. The fasting blood glucose level was significantly elevated at 8 weeks of age in animals exposed to chloroquine.

Cadmium administration and hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme system: effect of pretreatment with phenobarbital and 3-methyl cholanthrene.

A single dose of cadmium sulphate (2 mg/kg, ip) produced variable effects on the components of hepatic microsomal enzyme system in untreated, phenobarbital and 3-methyl cholanthrene pretreated rats. Measurements of the activities of these components showed that phenobarbital pretreatment prevented the decrease in the specific activity of benzphetamine demethylase, as well as decrease in the contents of cytochrome P-450 and phosphatidyl choline seen in rats given cadmium alone. In contrast, prior administration of 3-methyl cholanthrene did not protect against the inhibitory effect of the metal on cytochrome P-450 and phospholipid components.

The effects of aflatoxin B1 on rat fetal lung lipids.

The administration of aflatoxin B1 to rats on days 17 and 19 of pregnancy caused increased synthesis of the total lipids and the fatty acids, and decreased synthesis of the phosphatidyl choline in 21-day-old fetal lung. Aflatoxin B1 caused toxicity in the fetal lung as evidenced by the excessive accumulation of the lamellar bodies and the osmiophilic spheroids in the type II cells and the alveolar lumen, respectively. The rearrangement of the lamellar form to the continuous sheet-like tubular myelin form was reduced in the alveolar lumen of the treated lung.