Histopathological studies on the toxicity of ochratoxin A in rats. I. Acute oral toxicity
Kanisawa, M.; Suzuki, S.; Kozuka, Y.; Yamazaki, M.
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 42(1): 55-64
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-008X PMID: 929607 Document Number: 116133
1. Adult male Wistar rats were given ochratoxin A by mouth in single or multiple doses. The LD50 was estimated to be 28 mg/kg. The most striking pathological changes after treatment occurred in the duodenum and jejunum, characterized by severe catarrhal or erosive enteritis which appeared within 4 h after dosing and subsided within 24 h. Although near-lethal single doses did not elicit any evidence of renal damage, after several consecutive daily doses, massive acidophilic degeneration with necrosis and desquamation of epithelium occurred in the proximal tubules. Necrosis of cells in germinal centres of the spleen and lymph nodes occurred, indicating a sensitivity of lymphatic tissues to the toxin. Hepatotoxicity was limited mainly to depletion of hepatic glycogen.