ACUTE INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION OF OILS OR THE OLEIC-ACID COMPONENT PROTECTS MICE AGAINST PARAQUAT LETHALITY

Although selenium or vitamin E deficiencies or changing from cereal-ba sed to purified diets augments paraquat toxicity, the action of other dietary components in normal animals fed nutritionally adequate diets is not clear. Upon injection of mice with antiinflammatory agents, a p rotective action of the corn oil vehicle against paraquat lethalities was noted. This preventive action of a large parenteral administration of unknown components in oils served as the basis for this study. Int ramuscular injection of various vegetable oils protected similarly, in dicating that in mixtures, the degree of lipid saturation did not seem to be an important factor. Injection of the monounsaturated fatty aci d oleic acid decreased oral paraquat lethalities in mice, but linoleic , gamma-linoleic or linolenic acids were not protective in either male or female mice. Measurement of paraquat concentrations in various tis sues at various times after administration indicated no effect of corn oil on paraquat distribution. Although the exact mechanism of the com plex nature of oil protection against paraquat toxicity in mice is sti ll unknown, this study provides evidence for in vivo oxidant protectio n by a monounsaturated fatty acid.;