As a part of an organized research on the toxicity of two kinds of polluted rice grains, repeatedly reported as “yellowed rice” found in rice shipment imported from southern countries, the author carried out the present study intending to elucidate the toxic effect of the yellowed rice, especially on the kidney. For this purpose, namely, the following three kinds of material were prepared : a) Inoculation of polished rice grains with
Penicillium citrinum Thom. and incubation for 48 hours at 25°C produced citrinumpolluted rice. b) Inoculation of unpolish-ed rice grains with
P. islandium Sopp and incubation for 20-30 days at 25°C yielded islandicum-polluted rice. Experimental animals, rats and rabbits were fed on these polluted rice grains (a) or (b) and observed for functional or morphological damage. c)
Citrinin obtained from
P. citrinum was administered subcutaneously or orally to mice and rats, and its effect on the kidney function was studied. The toxicologic result obtained is summarized as follows ; Experimental feeding of rats on either kinds of the artificially polluted rice resulted in slight but definite growth retardation, as well as in increased urinary output, which latter effect was especially marked with citrinum-yellowed rice. The poisoned kidneys were found markedly enlarged in size on autopsy ; their renal tubules being irregularly deformed and enlarged in calibre, most patently in lowerportions of the nephron. Hypodermic LD
50 of citrinin was found 0.60 mg per 10 g body weight of mice. The pigment proved* potent for increasing the volume of urine when given orally to rats. The inulin and
p-amino-hippuric acid clearance tests on the citrinized rats indicated that the activity of renal tubules for water reabsorption was inhibited by. the toxic pigment. It may thus be concluded that citrinin or its relative is the important active principle responsible not only for the acute general intoxication but also for the tubular disfunction caused by the Thai yellowed rice.
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