US EPA

5204966 

Journal Article 

Effects Of Paraquat In Vivo On Fatty Acids Of Mouse And Guinea Pig Tissues 

Barabas, K; Vigh, L; Horvath, I; Szabo, L; Matkovics, B 

1981 

Yes 

General Pharmacology
ISSN: 0306-3623
EISSN: 1879-0011 

12 

4 

The effects of paraquat (4685147) on tissue fatty acids were studied in mice and guinea-pigs. Male CFLP-mice were exposed to paraquat at 120 or 300 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) body weight and guinea-pigs were exposed to 40 or 60mg/kg intraperitoneally. Animals were fasted for 24 hours before sacrifice. Tissues were removed, separated from extraneous matter, extracted with solvents to obtain the lipids, and analyzed by gas liquid chromatography on silical gel plates. The percent distribution of fatty acids was calculated. In mice, lung content of palmitic-acid (57103), stearic-acid (57114), palmitoleic-acid and arachidonic-acid (506321) was significantly decreased after exposure to paraquat at 120mg/kg. At 300mg/kg, a significant increase in fatty acids was seen. In guinea-pigs, palmitic-acid and oleic-acid (112801) decreased at the 40mg/kg dose, whereas at 60mg/kg their concentrations increased. An opposite effect was seen with respect to arachidonic-acid and palmitoleic-acid at these doses. A 120mg/kg paraquat dose was without effect on the palmitic-acid content in mouse livers. At 300mg/kg paraquat, palmitic-acid was decreased. In guinea-pig liver, stearic-acid increased at the low dose but decreased at the high dose. Arachidonic-acid and palmitoleic-acid decreased in a dose dependent manner. The authors conclude that paraquat exerts subtle differential effects on the lung and liver content of fatty acids in rodents.