ACUTE ORAL GALLIUM-ARSENIDE EXPOSURE AND CHANGES IN CERTAIN HEMATOLOGICAL, HEPATIC, RENAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL INDEXES AT DIFFERENT TIME INTERVALS IN MALE WISTAR RATS

Male albino rats were given a single oral dose of gallium arsenide (Ga As) (100, 200 or 500 mg/kg). Erythrocyte delta-aminolevulinic acid deh ydratase (ALAD) activity was inhibited in all the three GaAs-exposed g roups accompanied by elevated urinary excretion of ALA. A significant increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, and gamma -glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT) was observed. A significant increas e in hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and a decrease in hepatic glutathio ne contents were also noted. Renal alkaline phosphatase activity, urin ary ALA and protein excretion increased significantly on GaAs exposure . These changes were accompanied by significant alterations in almost all the immunological variables, with an increase in gallium and arsen ic concentration in blood and soft tissues. While most of the above bi ochemical alterations were prominent at day 7 following single exposur e to 200 and 500 mg/kg GaAs. most of the immunological indices altered with all the three doses and remained high even at day 21. The result s suggest only a moderate effect of GaAs on renal and hepatic tissues. By contrast, immunological and haematological systems are the most vu lnerable to the toxic effects of GaAs. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Irela nd Ltd. All rights reserved.