Trichloroethylene renal toxicity

Relevant examples of specific metabolism are toxic epoxides of benzene (hemopoietic toxicity), n-hexane 2,5-hexanedione (peripheral neurotoxic effects), metabolites of ethylene glycol efliers (reproductive toxicity), and unidentified metabolites from trichloroethylene (renal-toxic effects). It should be emphasized that only the metabohtes of these solvents are associated with toxic effects. 

Route Dependent Toxicity. The toxicity of trichloroethylene does not seem to be heavily dependent upon its route of entry. Inhalation and ingestion are the primary exposure routes, and the liver, heart, and central nervous system are the primary targets for both routes (Candura and Faustman 1991). Renal toxicity results principally from oral exposure, and dermal exposure generally confines its toxic effects to the skin, although broad systemic effects can be induced imder conditions of high exposure (Bauer and Rabens 1974). Attributing such effects solely to dermal exposure, however, is difficult because inhalation exposure is often a factor in these cases as well. 

Bruening T and Bolt HM (2000) Renal toxicity and carcinogenicity of trichloroethylene. Critical Reviews in Toxicology 30(3) 253-285. 

Lock EA, Reed CJ. Trichloroethylene Mechanisms or renal toxicity and renal cancer and relevance to risk assessment. Toxicol Set 2006 91 (2) 313—31. 

Osbome-Mendel rats appeared to be the most sensitive to the renal effeets of trichloroethylene. At a dose of 500 mg/kg/day, toxic nephrosis occurred in 78% of male and 60% of female Osbome-Mendel rats, 37% of male and 45% female ACI rats, 36% of male and 63% of female Marshall rats, and 20% of male and 17% female August rats. Another chronic study revealed renal tubular nucleocytosis in 50% of male rats exposed to 250 mg/kg/day trichloroethylene for 52 weeks by oil gavage (Maltoni et al. 1986). Further explanation of these studies is in Section 2.2.2.8. 

Pulmonary edema, renal failure, and liver injury should be managed symptomatically. However, based on toxicity similarities to trichloroethylene, data on plasma levels of following 1,2-dichloroeth-ylene overdose/exposure are not clinically very useful. Renal and liver function tests should be monitored in the presence of suspected kidney or liver injury. 

Over the three days exposure to trichloroethylene, no histopathological evidence of kidney toxicity was observed in F344 rats, indieating that the perturbation of formate metabolism does not lead to aeute renal injury. ... 

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