CATALASE ACTIVITY IN BLOOD OF MAN AND ANIMALS POISONED WITH SOME TOXIC SUBSTANCES

Abstract

It has been found by Adams and by Begg that the catalase activity in the liver changes corresponding to the changes of the amount of sexual hormones, which was further ascertained by Hirokawa in the study of benzene poisoning. Recently, Ogura et al. have reported the mode of catalase reaction using a crystalline catalase with special reference to the inhibition of some substances such as KCN, HN₃, CH₃COOH, HCOOH and various phenols upon the catalase reaction. The results obtained by them may give a significant key to interprete the result obtained in the study of catalase activity in blood of poisoned animals benzene, toluene, butyl-tin chlorides and nitroglycol. The assay of catalase activity in blood was performed at pH 6.8 and 0°C and at the final state which is obtained by pretreating the buffered catalase solution (dilute blood with deionized water) with a small amount of H₂O₂ solution (2/2000M in final concentration) at 3 min. before the initiation of catalase reaction. 1. Catalase activity in blood of rats injected with 2.5 ml. of a mixed solution of benzene and sesame oil (4:1) daily decreased to 70% of that of control rats at the first week after the beginning of the injection, and recovered to the normal level at the 2nd week. At the 3rd week, it decreased again to 30%. Noteworthy is the fact that the values of control rats were constantly in the range of 100 ± 5%. When the enzyme solution obtained from the blood of poisoned rats was not pretreated with H₂O₂ solution, the reaction curve bended with time, whilst when the same enzyme solution was pretreated, the reaction curve became liner showing the constant inclination (Fig.2). These results may be interpreted as Ibeing due to an inhibitory effect of a certain poisonous substance accumulated in blood of poisoned rats upon the catalase reaction. This poisonous substance was extracted into a small amount of water by treating the blood of poisoned rats with acetone. 2. Catalase activity in blood of rats injected with toluene decreased as well as those injected with benzene (Fig.3). It was clarified that this decrease is caused by the inhibition of a poisonous substance accumulated in blood, which is not benzoic acid nor hippuric acid. 3. Catalase activity in blood of workers employed at a paint-spraying plant is shown in Fig.4. The mean value of workers of A-group employed after toluene was used as a main solvent instead of benzene was 80% of that of control, and that of workers of B-group employed before toluene was used was 60%. The values of control (10 examples) were in the range of 100±10%. 4. The catalase activity in blood of rabbits was more severely affected by the injection of tributyl-tin chloride than dibutyl-tin chloride (Table 3). 5. The catalase activity in blood of rabbits received 0.33g of nitroglycol per kg. of body weight decreased severely in several hours after the injection (Table 4). 6. The catalase activity in blood of workers in an explosives plant was lower than that of control (Table 5), and it did not recovered to the normal level even after two day's discontinuing of their work.