HEPATOTOXICITY OF N,N-DIMETHYLFORMAMIDE (DMF) IN ACUTE-POISONING WITHTHE VETERINARY EUTHANASIA DRUG T-61

1 We report on a patient who was resuscitated after a suicide attempt with the veterinary euthanasia product T-61 and treated with N-acetylc ysteine (NAC) to prevent hepatotoxicity from N,N-dimethylformamide (DM F), the solvent of T-61.2 Serum concentrations of DMF were high as com pared with values published on occupational exposure. 3 The patient sh owed only a transient increase in liver enzymes with eventually a full recovery. 4 The hepatoprotective effect of NAC was studied in a rat m odel using the rise in serum sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) as a marker for DMF-induced hepatotoxicity. 5 Four series of randomized, controlle d and double-blind experiments were carried out and, consistently show ed a lower increase in SDH in NAC-treated animals in each series. The difference was statistically significant only when the data of the 4 s eries were pooled. This is probably due to the large interindividual v ariations in the effect of DMF. 6 We hypothesize that in the rat NAC m ay have a protective effect. Whether NAC is also protective in patient s, in which it is administered after exposure to DMF, cannot be conclu ded from the present experiments.