HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF CLARA CELLS IN LUNGS FROM LINOLEYLANILIDE INTOXICATED MICE

A histopathological study was made of Clara cells in lungs from mice i ntoxicated by sc injections of linoleylanilide dissolved in olive oil (20% w/v) at doses of 1,000, 2,500 or 4,000 mg/kg administered at 500 mg/kg on 2, 5 or 8 occasions, respectively. Cells were evaluated for b iotransformation capacity. Morphological alterations included degenera tion processes in the Clara cells that correlated with the doses admin istered. The observed lesions were very similar to those caused by xen obiotics with pneumotoxic capacity due to their biotransformation to e lectrophilic intermediates. The changes observed in Clara cells under our experimental conditions may reflect the activity of reactive catab olites from oleoanilides.