Experimental Podophyllotoxin (Bajiaolian) Poisoning:——Ⅱ. Effects on the Liver, Intestine, Kidney, Pancreas and Testis

摘要

Young male rats were orally intubated with podophyllotoxin:Grou I,control animals,orally fed with vehicle only;Group Ⅱ.few with an initial dose of 5mg·kg^-1 b.w., followed by a daily dose of 1.67mg·kg^-1 b.w.for 7d.GroupⅢ.fed with an initial dose of 15mg·kg^-1 b.w., followed by a daily dose of 5mg·kg^-1 b.w.for 7d.All animals were sacrificed 72h after the last dosing.Histopathologcal examination revealed dose-related fatty change of the liver,atrophy and degenerative changes of the intestinal epithelial linings and testiculas seminiferous tubules.Depletion of the pancreatic acinar cell granules was also apparent in the GroupⅢ animals,No pathology,however,was observed in the kidneys.The present study demonstrated for the first time degenerative changes in the liver,intestine,testis,and pancreas of animals ingested podophyllotoxin.These pathological changes correlate well with the clinical signs/symptoms of abnormal liver function,abdominal pain and diarrhea,and reduced serum amylase in humans poisonded by podophyllum.Inhibition of protein synthesis and mitosis(disruption of microtubules)are believed to be the underlying mechanisms of these changes observed in the animals intoxicated by podophyllotoxin.