The distribution of
iron and
calcium in hepatic subcellular fractions of female rats treated with
endrin (1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-6,7-epoxy-1,4,4 alpha,5,6,7,8,8 alpha- octahydroendo,endo-1,4:5,8-dimethanonaphthalene) was determined.
Endrin in
corn oil was administered orally to rats in single doses of 3, 4.5, or 6 mg/kg, and the animals were killed at 0, 12, 24, 48, or 72 hr post-treatment.
Iron and
calcium were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The administration of
endrin increased the
iron content of mitochondria and decreased the
iron content of microsomes and nuclei. Significant increases occurred in the
calcium content of mitochondria, microsomes, and nuclei. Thus, the results indicate that with respect to the subcellular distribution of
iron and
calcium,
endrin produces differential effects.
Vitamin E succinate administration partially prevented the
endrin-induced hepatic alterations in
iron and
calcium homeostasis.
Endrin also produced dose- and time-dependent increases in the liver and spleen
weight/body weight ratios, while decreasing the thymus
weight/body weight ratios. The altered distribution of
calcium and
iron may contribute to the broad range of effects of
endrin.