Sulfur mustards tissue distribution

Amir, A., Kadar, T., Chapman, S., Turetz, J., Levy, A., Babin, M., Ricketts, K., Brozetti, J., Logan, T., Ross, M. (2003). The distribution kinetics of topical C-sulfur mustard in rabbit ocular tissues and the effect of acetylcysteine. J. Toxicol. 22 201-14. 

Obviously, these findings confirm the theoretical assumption that the lipophilic properties of sulfur mustard result in a distribution, primarily in lipophilic tissues. High concentrations found in the brain may also explain why the central nervous system is one of the organs exhibiting systemic effects of sulfur mustard poisoning, even though it is not a site of rapidly proliferating cells. 

Axelrod, D.J., Hamilton, J.G., 1947. Radio-autographic studies of the distribution of lewisite and mustard gas in skin and eye tissues. Am. J. Pathol. 23,389-411. Bast, C., Young, R., McGinnis, P.M., et al., 2013. Provisional Advisory Level (PAL) development for Lewisite and sulfur mustard. Toxicologist 132 (1), 473. Boursnell, J.C., Cohen, J.A., Dixen, M., et al., 1946. Studies on mustard gas (2,2-dichlorodiethyl sulphide) and some related compounds. 5. The fate of injected mustard gas (containing radioactive sulphur) in the animal body. Biochem. J. 40, 756-764. 

Benson, J.M., Tibbetts, B.M., Weber, W.M., et al, 2011. Uptake, tissue distribution, and excretion of 14C-sulfur mustard vapor following inhalation in F344 rats and cutaneous exposure in hairless guinea pigs. J. Toxicol. Environ. Health A 74, 875-885. 

Benson et al. (2011) exposed F344 rats via a transorally placed tracheal catheter to ca. 250 mg m of C-sulfur mustard for 10 min, after which the radioactivity was measured in various tissues at several time points up to 7 days after ending the exposure. By exposing the animals in this way the absorption of sulfur mustard in the upper airways was circumvented. At 2 h after ending the exposure, more than 70% of the inhaled body burden was located in the carcass, pelt and intestines. The remainder of radioactivity was located in the liver, lungs and blood. Radioactivity in these tissues decreased with time, whereas that in the kidney increased up to 7 days after exposure. Since only radioactivity was measured and the identity of the radioactive species was not elucidated, it is unknown to what extent the distribution of intact sulfur mustard and/or its C-retaining metabolites was measured. 

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