Skip to main content
British Journal of Industrial Medicine logoLink to British Journal of Industrial Medicine
. 1981 Feb;38(1):14–19. doi: 10.1136/oem.38.1.14

An experimental study on the combined effects of n-hexane and toluene on the peripheral nerve of the rat.

Y Takeuchi, Y Ono, N Hisanaga
PMCID: PMC1008792  PMID: 7470399

Abstract

An electrophysiological study was undertaken to determine whether toluene affected the neurotoxicity of n-hexane. Separate groups of eight rats were exposed to 1000 ppm n-hexane, 1000 ppm toulene, 1000 ppm n-hexane plus 1000 ppm toluene, of fresh air in an exposure chamber for 12 hours a day for 16 weeks. The body weight, MCV, DL, MNCVs were measured before exposure, after four, eight 12, and 16 weeks exposure; and four weeks after exposure was discontinued. Exposure to 1000 ppm n-hexane considerably impaired the function of the peripheral nerve, but exposure to a mixture of 1000 ppm n-hexane plus 1000 ppm toluene resulted in only slight impairment; 1000 ppm toluene had little effect. These results strongly suggest that toluene decreases the toxic effects of n-hexane on the peripheral nerve.

Full text

PDF
14

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Abdel-Rahman M. S., Hetland L. B., Couri D. Toxicity and metabolism of methyl n-butyl ketone. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1976 Feb;37(2):95–102. doi: 10.1080/0002889768507418. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Altenkirch H., Stoltenburg G., Wagner H. M. Experimental studies on hydrocarbon neuropathies induced by methyl-ethyl-ketone (MEK). J Neurol. 1978 Dec 7;219(3):159–170. doi: 10.1007/BF00314531. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Couri D., Abdel-Rahman M. S., Hetland L. B. Biotransformation of n-hexane and methyl n-butyl ketone in guinea pigs and mice. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1978 Apr;39(4):295–300. doi: 10.1080/0002889778507761. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ikeda M. Reciprocal metabolic inhibition of toluene and trichloroethylene in vivo and in vitro. Int Arch Arbeitsmed. 1974;33(2):125–130. doi: 10.1007/BF00538996. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Ono Y., Takeuchi Y., Hisanaga N. [Studies on the method of measuring nerve conduction velocity in rat's tail and on the comparative toxicity of n-hexane, methyl n-butyl ketone and 5,5-hexanedione (author's transl)]. Sangyo Igaku. 1979 Nov;21(6):528–538. doi: 10.1539/joh1959.21.528. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Saida K., Mendell J. R., Weiss H. S. Peripheral nerve changes induced by methyl n-butyl ketone and potentiation by methyl ethyl ketone. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1976 May;35(3):207–225. doi: 10.1097/00005072-197605000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Schaumburg H. H., Spencer P. S. Degeneration in central and peripheral nervous systems produced by pure n-hexane: an experimental study. Brain. 1976 Jun;99(2):183–192. doi: 10.1093/brain/99.2.183. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Spencer P. S., Bischoff M. C., Schaumburg H. H. On the specific molecular configuration of neurotoxic aliphatic hexacarbon compounds causing central--peripheral distal axonopathy. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1978 Apr;44(1):17–28. doi: 10.1016/0041-008x(78)90280-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Suzuki T., Shimbo S., Nishitani H., Oga T., Imamura T. Muscular atrophy due to glue sniffing. Int Arch Arbeitsmed. 1974;33(2):115–123. doi: 10.1007/BF00538995. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Takeuchi Y., Ono Y., Hisanaga N., Kitoh J., Sugiura Y. A comparative study on the neurotoxicity of n-pentane, n-hexane, and n-heptane in the rat. Br J Ind Med. 1980 Aug;37(3):241–247. doi: 10.1136/oem.37.3.241. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Yamamura Y. n-Hexane polyneuropathy. Folia Psychiatr Neurol Jpn. 1969;23(1):45–57. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.1969.tb01441.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Industrial Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES