DIFFERENCES IN THE NEPHROTOXICITY OF HYDROQUINONE AMONG FISCHER-344 AND SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS AND B6C3F(1) MICE

The present studies indicate pronounced species-, sex-, and strain-rel ated differences in the acute nephrotoxicity of hydroquinone (Ha) when administered by gavage to male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, F ischer 344 (F344) rats, and B6C3F, mice. Following a single dose of 40 0 mg/kg, male and female F344 rats displayed pronounced enzymuria and glucosuria. In female F344 rats, urinary alkaline phosphatase and gluc ose were the most sensitive indicators of renal toxicity, reaching lev els of, respectively, 157 times and 137 times control values within 24 h of dosing. HQ treatment of male F344 rats also resulted in signific ant enzymuria, although it was less marked than that seen in female F3 44 rats. Significant numbers of epithelial cells were also present in the urine from F344 rats at 200 (female) or 400 mg/kg (male and female ). SD rats did not show evidence of elevated levels of urinary enzymes or increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) after oral administration of H Q at a dose level of 400 mg/kg. Oral administration of HQ to male and female B6C3F, mice at 350 mg/kg resulted in only slight but significan t increases in BUN.