The effect of
vitamin E and the synthetic
antioxidants, 6-ethyoxy,1,2-dihydro 2,2,4-trimethylquinoline (
ethoxyquin), 2,6 bis(1,1 dimethyethyl)-4-methylphenol (
BHT), N,N-
diphenyl-p-phenylene
diamine (
DPPD), bis-(diethyl thiocarbamoyl)
disulfide (
Antabuse), and 2 tertiary-butyl-4-methoxyphenol (
BHA) on organic
mercury-induced mortality was investigated in Japanese quail. When the synthetic
antioxidants,
ethoxyquin,
BHT, and
Antabuse were fed at 1% of the diet, they induced mortality.
Ethoxyquin was less toxic in combination with
mercury (Hg) than when it or
mercury was given alone. Of the
antioxidants tested at .5% of the diet, only
Antabuse was toxic as shown by increased mortality. At .5% of the diet, both
ethoxyquin and
DPPD reduced mortality associated with organic Hg
poisoning. Neither
BHA nor
BHT had any effect in reducing Hg toxicity. In fact, mortality from organic Hg was greater when organic Hg was given in combination with .5%
BHT than when given alone.
Vitamin E was equal or superior to all synthetic
antioxidants tested in alleviating the toxicity of organic Hg
poisoning. The cause of observed
antioxidant protection during organic Hg stress is not known but the protection may result from the ability to scavenge
free radicals generated by induction of in vivo peroxidation by the Hg compound.