Abstract
An acute toxicity test for a new gallium alloy was carried out by supplying orally a test solution of gallium alloy to rats and mice. The medium lethal dose (LD50) was estimated and histopathological observations were made.
The results obtained were as follows:
1. The LD50 values obtained by probit method were 580mg/kg for male rats, 493mg/kg for female rats, 377mg/kg for male mice and 430mg/kg for female mice. These values indicate that the gallium alloy has low toxicity and pertains to the category of“common materials”described in the pharmaceutical law of Japan.
2. Major signs of acute toxicity, which were observed in all rats and mice except in the lowest dose group, were loss of spontaneous activity and cyanotic appearance. Some individuals also showed symptoms of diarrhea and hematocyturia.
3. In autopsy and histopathological examinations, various degrees of congestion were observed in organs of rats which died during test period, and in rats which survived the acute episode, tubular damage in the kidneys or signs of recovery from inflammatory lesions in the kidneys and other organs wers observed.
4. It appears, from analyis of the data obtained, that the toxicity of the gallium alloy is due first to the copper contained in the alloy, and then to the gallium.
