Biomaterial Database

Pattern of neurotoxicity of n-hexane, methyl n-butyl ketone, 2,5-hexanediol, and 2,5-hexanedione alone and in combination with O-ethyl O-4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate in hens. 1985

M B Abou-Donia, and H M Makkawy, and G M Campbell

This investigation was designed to study the neurotoxicity produced in hens by the aliphatic hexacarbons n-hexane, methyl n-butyl ketone (MnBK), 2,5-hexanediol (2,5-HDOH), and 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) following daily dermal application of each chemical alone and in combination with O-ethyl O-4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate (EPN). Dermal application was carried out on the unprotected back of the neck. To assess whether the joint neurotoxic action of various chemicals is caused by the enhancement of absorption through the skin or by interaction at the molecular level, two additional experiments were performed. In the first experiment, EPN was dissolved in each of the aliphatic hydrocarbons prior to their topical application. In the second experiment, EPN was dissolved in acetone and applied at a different location from that of the aliphatic hexacarbons. Dermal application was carried out for 90 d followed by a 30-d observation period. The results show that hens treated with EPN developed severe ataxia followed by improvement during the observation period; n-hexane produced leg weakness with subsequent recovery, whereas the same dose of MnBK, 2,5-HDOH, or 2,5-HD produced clinical signs of neurotoxicity characterized by gross ataxia; concurrent dermal application of EPN with n-hexane or 2,5-HDOH at the same site or at different sites produced an additive neurotoxic action; simultaneous dermal application of EPN and MnBK at different sites resulted in an additive effect, whereas it caused potentiation when applied at the same site; and concurrent topical application of EPN and 2,5-HD produced a potentiating neurotoxic effect. While no histopathologic lesion was produced at the end of the observation period when any test chemical was applied alone, binary treatments of EPN and aliphatic hexacarbons resulted in histopathologic changes in some hens, with morphology and distribution characteristic of EPN neurotoxicity. The joint potentiating or additive action of aliphatic hexacarbons on EPN neurotoxicity was: 2,5-HD greater than MnBK greater than 2,5-HDOH greater than n-hexane. The mechanism of this joint action seems to be related both to enhancing skin absorption of EPN and/or its metabolic activation by n-hexane and its related chemicals.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007306	Insecticides	Pesticides designed to control insects that are harmful to man. The insects may be directly harmful, as those acting as disease vectors, or indirectly harmful, as destroyers of crops, food products, or textile fabrics.	Insecticide
D007659	Ketones	Organic compounds containing a carbonyl group	Ketone
D008742	Methyl n-Butyl Ketone	An industrial solvent which causes nervous system degeneration. MBK is an acronym often used to refer to it.	2-Hexanone,Butylmethyl Ketone,Hexan-2-one,2 Hexanone,Hexan 2 one,Ketone, Butylmethyl,Ketone, Methyl n-Butyl,Methyl n Butyl Ketone,n-Butyl Ketone, Methyl
D009420	Nervous System	The entire nerve apparatus, composed of a central part, the brain and spinal cord, and a peripheral part, the cranial and spinal nerves, autonomic ganglia, and plexuses. (Stedman, 26th ed)	Nervous Systems,System, Nervous,Systems, Nervous
D010525	Peripheral Nerves	The nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, including the autonomic, cranial, and spinal nerves. Peripheral nerves contain non-neuronal cells and connective tissue as well as axons. The connective tissue layers include, from the outside to the inside, the epineurium, the perineurium, and the endoneurium.	Endoneurium,Epineurium,Perineurium,Endoneuriums,Epineuriums,Nerve, Peripheral,Nerves, Peripheral,Perineuriums,Peripheral Nerve
D010766	Phosphorylation	The introduction of a phosphoryl group into a compound through the formation of an ester bond between the compound and a phosphorus moiety.	Phosphorylations
D002645	Chickens	Common name for the species Gallus gallus, the domestic fowl, in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES. It is descended from the red jungle fowl of SOUTHEAST ASIA.	Gallus gallus,Gallus domesticus,Gallus gallus domesticus,Chicken
D003577	Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System	A superfamily of hundreds of closely related HEMEPROTEINS found throughout the phylogenetic spectrum, from animals, plants, fungi, to bacteria. They include numerous complex monooxygenases (MIXED FUNCTION OXYGENASES). In animals, these P-450 enzymes serve two major functions: (1) biosynthesis of steroids, fatty acids, and bile acids; (2) metabolism of endogenous and a wide variety of exogenous substrates, such as toxins and drugs (BIOTRANSFORMATION). They are classified, according to their sequence similarities rather than functions, into CYP gene families (>40% homology) and subfamilies (>59% homology). For example, enzymes from the CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 gene families are responsible for most drug metabolism.	Cytochrome P-450,Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme,Cytochrome P-450-Dependent Monooxygenase,P-450 Enzyme,P450 Enzyme,CYP450 Family,CYP450 Superfamily,Cytochrome P-450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P-450 Families,Cytochrome P-450 Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P-450 Oxygenase,Cytochrome P-450 Superfamily,Cytochrome P450,Cytochrome P450 Superfamily,Cytochrome p450 Families,P-450 Enzymes,P450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P 450,Cytochrome P 450 Dependent Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Enzyme,Cytochrome P 450 Enzyme System,Cytochrome P 450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P 450 Families,Cytochrome P 450 Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Oxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Superfamily,Enzyme, Cytochrome P-450,Enzyme, P-450,Enzyme, P450,Enzymes, Cytochrome P-450,Enzymes, P-450,Enzymes, P450,Monooxygenase, Cytochrome P-450,Monooxygenase, Cytochrome P-450-Dependent,P 450 Enzyme,P 450 Enzymes,P-450 Enzyme, Cytochrome,P-450 Enzymes, Cytochrome,Superfamily, CYP450,Superfamily, Cytochrome P-450,Superfamily, Cytochrome P450
D004357	Drug Synergism	The action of a drug in promoting or enhancing the effectiveness of another drug.	Drug Potentiation,Drug Augmentation,Augmentation, Drug,Augmentations, Drug,Drug Augmentations,Drug Potentiations,Drug Synergisms,Potentiation, Drug,Potentiations, Drug,Synergism, Drug,Synergisms, Drug
D004790	Enzyme Induction	An increase in the rate of synthesis of an enzyme due to the presence of an inducer which acts to derepress the gene responsible for enzyme synthesis.	Induction, Enzyme