Toxic effect in the lungs of rats after inhalation exposure to benzalkonium chloride.

Background: Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) toxic to microorganisms. Inhalation is one of the major possible routes of human exposure to BAC.

Materials And Methods: Experiments were performed on female Wistar rats.

Partial protection from organophosphate-induced cholinesterase inhibition by metyrapone treatment.

Background: Organophosphates are cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors with worldwide use as insecticides. Stress response, evidenced by a dramatic and relatively long-lasting (several hours) rise in the plasma glucocorticoid concentration is an integral element of the organophosphate (OP) poisoning symptomatology. In rodents, corticosterone (CORT) is the main glucocorticoid.

Neuroendocrine and behavioral response to amphetamine challenge after exposure to an organophosphorus pesticide.

Objectives: Exposure to various stressors is known to result in sensitization to psychostimulants, a state related to the psychostimulant dependence and addiction. It has been shown in some studies that the rise in corticosterone (CORT) concentration is indispensable for both the induction and the expression of behavioral sensitization. Therefore, it might be suspected that behavioral hyposensitivity to amphetamine (AMPH) is somehow related to a reduced CORT response to the psychostimulant subsequent to the chlorphenvinphos (CVP) intoxication.

Contrasting effects of 4-week inhalation exposure to pseudocumene or hemimellitene on sensitivity to amphetamine and propensity to amphetamine sensitization in the rat.

Objectives: Some data suggest that increased behavioural sensitivity to psychostimulants may develop after exposure to volatile chemicals in common use. The purpose of the present experiment was to find out whether and in what way inhalation exposure to pseudocumene (PS) or hemimellitene (HM) at low concentrations alters behavioural sensitivity to the psychostimulant amphetamine (AMPH), and propensity to develop behavioural sensitization to AMPH.

Material And Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were exposed 6 h/day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks to PS or HEM at 0, 25, 100 or 250 ppm.

Catecholamine levels in the brain of rats exposed by inhalation to benzalkonium chloride.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to obtain quantitative data on the effect of inhalation exposure to benzalkonium chloride (BAC) on the concentration of catecholamines and their metabolites in selected brain structures. Additionally, concentration of corticosterone (CORT) in plasma was estimated.

Material And Methods: Wistar rats were subjected to a single (6-hour) or repeated (3 days, 6 h/day) exposure to BAC aerosol at ca.

Pulmonary irritation after inhalation exposure to benzalkonium chloride in rats.

Background: Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) with a C8 to C18 chain length of alkyl groups. Since BAC exerts toxic effects on microorganisms, it has been used as an effective germicide and preservative, mostly in cosmetic industry and medicine. However, the toxic potential of BAC may be hazardous to humans, due to the common use of preparations containing BAC as a preservative.