RESUMO
Asymmetric dimethyl hydrazine (ADH), a highly toxic propellant component, is known to cause metabolic disturbances in humans and laboratory animals. Focus of this investigation was placed on crystal-forming properties of blood serum, and types of plasma protein destructions in ADH-intoxicated rats. Object of investigation was blood plasma collected from rats exposed to 100 mg/kg of per oral ADH total (5 mg/kg per a day, 5 days a wk, 4 wks.). The crystal-forming ability of plasma was assessed with the teziographic technique. Severity of proteins destruction was determined by the content of carbonyl products of oxidative protein modification in plasma. Chronic exposure to low ADH doses caused oxidative destruction of proteins in blood plasma and, consequently, significant degradation of the plasma ability to form crystals reflected in an altered zonal phase structure and phase bursting on teziograms. Symmetry gave way to pathological structures, e.g. petals and loops. Amorphous areas grew in size, bursting lines thinned out. Concretions became less numerous. These data suggest a close relationship between the impairments in physical and chemical properties of blood plasma of experimental animals by highly toxic asymmetric dimethyl hydrazine.