Abstract
Sodium nitrite which is known as an important agent in causing hemoglobinopathia was administered to rabbits by injection in a daily dose of 40 mg, 60 mg and 80 mg/kg, and the changes of the brain from the acute to chronic stage were studied histopathologically. Acute swelling of nerve cells of the cerebral cortex in the acute stage was more remarkable than in the chronic stage in all groups, but liquef actives, vacuolar and def ormative changes of nerve cells in the chronic stage of 60 mg group were more significant than in the others.
Vacuolar degeneration of choroidal epithelium and edema of the interstitium were as remarkable as in the meninges in the acute stage, but the changes in the large dose and those of long term group were of the highest grade.
The pathologic changes induced by the disturbance of secretion and circulation of cerebrospinal fluid reflected the hypoxic influence of this drug rather than those of the nervous tissue in varous areas of the brain.
The hypoxic lesion induced by the drug was most striking in the liquor-blood barrier.
The hypoxic influence in brain occurs as a result of methemoglobin formation, and is relatively pure and standard type compatible with the secondary indirect type according to the classification (G. Watanabe) of disturbance by chemical substances.
It is considered that this will be useful in estimating the pureness of toxic hypoxidosis.
