goitrin and Body-Weight

5-vinyloxazolidine-2-thione (VOT) administered orally to lactating rats was found to be efficiently transferred to the sucklings via the milk. In mothers the exposure to VOT resulted in an increased percentage of neutrophils, a decreased percentage of lymphocytes and increases in the relative weights of liver and thyroid. Suckling rats showed a decreased number of leucocytes, increases in the relative weights of liver and thyroid and structural changes in the thyroid. Male sucklings were more affected than female pups. The antithyroid effects were clearly related to the maternally administered VOT doses.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Suckling; Antithyroid Agents; Body Weight; Female; Lactation; Leukocyte Count; Male; Organ Size; Oxazoles; Oxazolidinones; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Thyroid Gland

Groups of male and female rats received 5-vinyloxazolidine-2-thione (VOT) in their drinking water for 13 weeks at concentrations of 0, 10, 25, 50 or 100 mg/l and 0, 2.5 or 5 mg/l respectively. Compared with the controls, there were decreases in food intake and growth of females given VOT-doses of 10 mg/l and higher. Liquid intake was reduced in males and females of the highest dose group. Terminal haematological examination revealed an increase in white cell count at the 50 and 100 mg levels in females and a reduction in the red cell count at 100 mg/l in males. Organ weight changes were dose-related increases in the relative thyroid and liver weight and a decrease in the relative thymus weight. Structural and functional changes of the thyroid were observed in animals at levels of 10 mg/l and higher. Histological examinations of the kidneys showed tubulonephrosis in animals at and above a VOT-level of 5 mg/l. The no-observed-effect level (NOEL) established from these studies was 2.5 ml VOT/l drinking water (approximately equivalent to an daily intake of 0.4 mg/kg body weight).

Topics: Animals; Body Weight; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drinking; Eating; Erythrocyte Count; Female; Leukocyte Count; Liver; Male; Organ Size; Oxazoles; Oxazolidinones; Plant Extracts; Rats; Sex Characteristics; Thymus Gland; Thyroid Gland

The influence of dietary R-goitrin on components of the xenobiotic-metabolizing system was examined in the liver and small intestine of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Given at a level of 200 ppm in the diet for 14 days, the R-goitrin caused a statistically significant (P less than 0.05) 21% increase in liver weight relative to body weight. A less pronounced, but statistically significant, 11% increase in relative liver weight resulted from the administration of R-goitrin at 40 ppm in the diet. Hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significantly increased 1.5- and 2-fold over the basal level at concentrations of 40 and 200 ppm R-goitrin, respectively. Hepatic microsomal epoxide hydratase (EH) activity was also significantly increased. Hepatic EH activity was 1.6- and 3.3-fold greater in the 40- and 200-ppm R-goitrin groups, respectively, than in the control group given the basal diet. R-Goitrin at 200 ppm in the diet produced significant 1.2- and 1.4-fold increases of GST and microsomal EH activities, respectively, in the mucosa of the small intestine. The administration of R-goitrin at 40 or 200 ppm in the diet had no significant effect on either hepatic or intestinal ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity.

Topics: 7-Alkoxycoumarin O-Dealkylase; Animals; Body Weight; Diet; Epoxide Hydrolases; Feeding Behavior; Glutathione Transferase; Intestine, Small; Liver; Male; Organ Size; Oxazoles; Oxazolidinones; Oxygenases; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains