Assessment of the Behavioral and Neurotoxic Effects of Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in The Developing Rat
Abstract
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is a widespread environmental contaminant. Due to its highly lipophilic nature, HCB is stored in the body adipose tissue and is released with the milk during lactation. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were given 0 (control), 10 or 100 mg HCB/kg body weight, and dosing was completed two weeks prior to breeding. We evaluated the gestational and lactational transfer of HCB from the dams to fetuses and pups and determined that HCB is present in the developing rat brain. Throughout gestation, the HCB tissue concentrations for the 10 and 100 mg HCB/kg body weight groups differed by 10 fold. The maternal body burden of HCB was quickly depleted by lactational transfer of the HCB to the suckling pups as reflected by HCB concentrations in the milk and pups. However, across treatment groups, only a 2-3 fold difference existed between tissue concentrations of HCB in both dams and pups during lactation. Subsequently, we assessed the developmental neurotoxicity of HCB using a battery of behavioral tests. The negative geotaxic response and olfactory homing were assessed in two male and two female pups from each litter between 6 and 11 days of age.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA243658
Entities
People
- D. H. Taylor
- E. Goldey
Organizations
- University of Miami