Evaluation of chronic toxicity and carcinogenesis in rodents with the synthetic analgesic, tilidine fumarate.

The carcinogenic potential of tilidine fumarate, a synthetic analgesic, was studied for 80 and 104 weeks in mice and rats, respectively. Groups of 50 albino CF1 mice and 65 albino Wistar rats of each sex received tilidine fumarate-lactose blend (1:1) at doses of 100, 40 and 16 mg/kg. The control groups consisted of 100 mice and 115 rats of each sex and received the lactose vehicle only. Treatment-related non-neoplastic changes consisted of reversible, increased cytoplasmic eosinophilia of hepatocytes in high and mid dose rats corresponding to areas of proliferating smooth endoplasmic reticulum; and an increased incidence in high dose rats of proliferative or cystic lesions of the biliary epithelium. Adequate survival rates allowed stringent statistical analysis of neoplasia. Tilidine did not evoke increased tumor incidences or changes in the average latency or onset of tumors in either species. The most frequent tumors represented spontaneous neoplasia characteristic of historical background incidence in these strains. In mice, the only statistically significant (P less than 0.01) variation in tumor incidence was an increased rate of lung alveologenic adenocarcinomas in females at 100 mg/kg (24%), compared with the concurrent untreated controls (10%), but without a statistically significant difference from historical control data (27%). Female rats given 100 mg/kg showed statistically significant (P less than 0.01) decreased incidences of mammary fibroadenoma and pituitary adenoma. From these data, it was concluded that the synthetic analgesic tilidine does not possess tumorigenic potential in rodents.

Randomization of animals by computer program for toxicity studies.

Evaluations of toxic potential of drugs and chemicals often involve statistical comparisons of effects between treatment groups. Such comparisons are valid and permit elucidation of spontaneous versus treatment effects only if the sampling population is obtained without selection bias. Selection bias is routinely minimized or controlled by random sampling or unbiased allocation of animals to treatment groups. A systematic approach using a computerized procedure is described that fulfills these requirements in a simple and efficient fashion.

Effect of environmental pollutants on hepatocellular function in rats: 3-methylcholanthrene and Aroclor-1254.

Environmental pollutants, Aroclor-1254 (PCB) and 3-methylcholanthrene (MC), were employed in this study to investigate some aspects of the induction of hepatic drug metabolism in rats. PCB and MC treatments increased 7-ethoxyresorufin and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activities related to cytochrome P-448. Cytochrome P-450 reductase activity was increased by PCB while no effect was observed by MC treatment. Pretreatment with PCB resulted in approximately 50% increase in the phospholipid content of the microsomes whereas MC caused no change. Liver microsomal cholesterol content was decreased while triglycerides were increased by PCB. The ratio between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (saturation index) decreased in the total microsomes and phospholipids with PCB treatment, whereas MC did not alter the ratio, except that the major effect of MC was observed in the acyl derivatives of microsomal phosphatidylethanolamine. It is proposed that the uniaxial rotation and mobility of hemoproteins may be restricted by an increase in the saturation index of the membrane, while a decreased index may facilitate contact with reductases for electron transfer by enhanced membrane fluidity. The decreased saturation index after treatment with MC may play a role in carcinogenicity by triggering induction of free radicals.

Chronic toxicity of the anticonvulsant zonisamide in beagle dogs.

The chronic toxicity of the new anticonvulsant drug zonisamide (1,2-benzisoxazole-3-methanesulfonamide) was evaluated in a detailed 52-week study in which dose levels of 0, 10, 30 and 75 mg/kg/day were administered orally in gelatin capsules to groups of five Beagle dogs per sex. Potential toxicity was based on the effects of zonisamide on body weight and food consumption; clinical and ophthalmic examinations; electrocardiography and heart rates; clinical biochemistry, hematology and urinalysis determinations; organ weights and gross and histopathologic evaluations; electron microscopy of high dose and control male dogs; and plasma zonisamide concentrations. Zonisamide was relatively well tolerated during the study. In animals given 75 mg/kg/day, early body weight losses occurred and therefore, from Weeks 2 and 3 until study termination, for males and females respectively, the high dose was given as two equal portions (i.e., 37.5 mg/kg each) approximately 3-4 hr apart. Clinical laboratory analyses in the dogs given 75 mg/kg revealed a small but statistically significant decrease in plasma albumin concentration and a small increase in alkaline phosphatase activity. In animals given 75 mg/kg, liver weights were increased and a brownish discoloration of the liver was noted grossly at necropsy. No significant light microscopic changes were evident; however, electron microscopic evaluation of the liver tissue from the 5 male dogs given 75 mg/kg revealed the presence of concentric lamellae of paired smooth membranes which were not seen in control animals. At the 10 and 30 mg/kg dose levels, plasma zonisamide concentrations reached steady-state and were proportional to dose, but at 75 mg/kg, plasma levels were disproportionately higher and never achieved steady-state. The results of this study indicated that at the high dose level of 75 mg/kg, chronic administration of zonisamide had a mild effect on the liver, particularly the endoplasmic reticulum.

Functional responses of the rat hepatic endoplasmic reticulum to treatment proposed as a model for cholestasis.

Concurrent treatments of cobalt chloride (CoCl2) and phenobarbital (PB), alone or in combination with lithocholic acid (LCA), were administered to rats for 7 days to assess whether or not a hypoactive hypertrophic smooth endoplasmic reticulum (HHSER) could be induced, as well as investigating the potential role of HHSER in the pathogenesis of cholestasis. LCA given alone slightly reduced hepatic triglycerides, significantly elevated plasma triglycerides and decreased microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P-ase) activity. PB administered alone significantly increased hepatic phospholipids and microsomal protein, phospholipid and cytochrome P-450 contents, as well as microsomal aminopyrine-N-demethylase (APDM-ase) activity. Functional indicators of liver impairment were associated primarily with CoCl2 treatment, whether given alone or in combination with PB + LCA. These signs included significantly reduced hepatic triglycerides, and increased plasma triglycerides associated with enhanced release of hepatic VLDL-triglycerides, as well as significantly decreased microsomal G6P-ase activity and/or reduced APDM-ase activity and cytochrome P-450 content. Elevated plasma bilirubin levels, and aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities were also evident with concurrent CoCl2 + PB + LCA treatments. Combined CoCl2 + PB treatments, with or without LCA, caused significant increases in microsomal protein and phospholipid, and decreased activity of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) marker G6P-ase, but no changes in cytochrome P-450 levels and no marked alterations in the activity of the SER marker APDM-ase. The data indicated that simultaneous CoCl2 and PB treatments, whether given alone or in combination with LCA, caused a functional impairment of the RER, and did not induce HHSER membranes.