14-DAY TOXICITY STUDY OF 1,3,5-TRINITROBENZENE IN FISCHER-344 RATS

Toxic effects of 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) in male and female rats w ere evaluated by feeding powdered certified laboratory chow diet suppl emented with varied concentrations of TNB (0, 50, 200, 400, 800 and 12 00 mg kg(-1) diet) for 14 days, Food intake by female rats in 400, 800 and 1200 mg TNB diet groups was reduced and resulted in a significant decrease in absolute body weights (BW). Food and water consumption by male rats in high-dose groups (800 and 1200 mg TNB kg(-1) diet) was a lso reduced and resulted in a significant decrease in body weight, The calculated average TNB intake (from 1200 mg TNB kg(-1) diet) was 92 m g kg(-1) BW day(-1) for male rats and 80 mg kg(-1) BW day(-1) for fema les, A decrease in testicular weight in males and an increase in splee n weight of both sexes in high-dose groups was noted, In addition, his topathological examinations revealed that the susceptible organs for T NB toxicity were kidney (hyaline droplets), spleen (extramedullary hem atopoiesis), brain (hemorrhage, malacia and gliosis) and testes (semin iferous tubular degeneration), Hematology and clinical chemistry studi es indicated a decrease in red blood cell count and hematocrit, a decr ease in alkaline phosphatase, an increase in Heinz bodies and increase d methemoglobin concentration as compared to controls in both sexes, A lowest observed adverse effect level of 4.41 mg TNB kg(-1) BW day(-1) was established based on the findings of this study.