Comparison of the toxicity of p-dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) administered to male F344 rats orally or by the inhalation route.

The organ distribution and toxicity of p-DCB were compared in rats after either inhalation or oral administration. Male F344 rats were exposed to 500 or 125 ppm for 24 hr in a whole body inhalation chamber (H and L groups) or received a single dose of 300 mg/kg by gavage (PO group). The concentrations of p-DCB in the serum, liver, kidney and fatty tissues were measured by gas chromatography at intervals during and up to 24 hr after the treatment. Peak serum values for the L and H groups were lower than in the PO animals, but the organ/serum distribution ratios of p-DCB tended to be higher, in some cases markedly, in rats receiving the inhalation treatment. Significant increases in the levels of blood urea nitrogen, hepatic glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic pyruvate transaminase and significant decreases in the levels of serum total cholesterol were observed only in the inhalation groups. Microscopically, the appearance of numerous eosinophilic droplets, together with swelling and desquamation of the proximal tubular epithelium of the kidney was especially noteworthy in H and L p-DCB treated groups. Thus, both biochemical and histopathological abnormalities induced by p-DCB were more pronounced in rats administered the compound by the inhalation route.