Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
peroxidation occurs. These suggest that damage to lymphoid organ cell
membrane due to increase in ROS is possible.
Liver and kidney function (serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine
aminotransferase, urea, and creatinine) were significantly increased
when compared to controls at day 15 and 30 indicating damage to the
liver and kidney (Parthasarathy et al., 2006).
In another study, the increased formation of free radicals in Sprague
Dawley rats was detected by electron spin resonance spectroscopy
following a single dose of methanol (i.p. 4.5 gm/kg or gavage 7 gm/kg).
The same free radical adduct was detected in the bile and urine 2 hours
after dosing. The free radical can react with oxygen to form reactive
oxygen species (Kadiiska and Mason, 2000).
In still another study, hydroxymethyl radicals were detected rat liver
microsomes and nuclei of NADPH-dependent process following treat-
ment with methanol. The results suggest that both rat liver nuclei and
microsomes are able to generate free radicals during NADPH-mediated
methanol transformation (Castro et al., 2002).
In the acute methanol studies in animals, high levels of methanol
were needed to achieve a toxic response by all routes. Methanol would
be generally characterized as being practically nontoxic or very low
toxicity in rodents following a single oral, dermal, or inhalation
exposure. Rabbits and dogs give similar response to methanol exhibit-
ing similar symptoms at a lower lethal dose than rodents. The lethal
dose in humans is several folds lower than the lethal dose in animals
making it obvious that the human is more sensitive to the acute effects
of methanol than animals.
4.3
IRRITATION
4.3.1 Dermal
Methanol caused minor to moderate skin irritation in rabbits. Methanol
(0.1ml) tested under OECD guidelines # 405 using six New Zealand
White albino rabbits produced a Draize score of 3.72 at 72 hours after
treatment (Jacobs, 1990). Moderate skin irritation was observed in
