Journal of Environmental Biology

Nitrogen and sulphur mustard induced histopathological

observations in mouse visceral organs

Manoj Sharma¹, S.C. Pant*¹, J.C. Pant² and R. Vijayaraghavan¹

¹Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior - 474 002, India

²Department of Zoology, S.S.J. Campus, Kumaon University, Almora - 263 601, India

 

(Received: June 09, 2009; Revised received: November 07, 2009; Accepted: December 10, 2009)

 

Abstract: Nitrogen mustards (HN) and sulphur mustard (SM) are potent alkylating blister inducing chemical warfare agents. Single 1.0 LD₅₀ dose produced a progressive fall in body weight from second day onwards in all groups of mustard agents exposed animals. Histological examination of spleen, liver, skin and kidney revealed significant histopathological lesions in nitrogen mustards and sulphur mustard. These lesions include granulovascular degeneration with perinuclear clumping of the cytoplasm of hepatocytes and renal parenchymal cells. Renal lesions were characterized by congestion and hemorrhage. The maximum toxic manifestation were noted in spleen and skin of HN-3 exposed mice while sulphur mustard reported maximum toxicity in liver and kidneys. The study suggests both nitrogen mustards and sulphur mustard to be extremely toxic by percutaneous route based on histopathological observation and can contributed to earlier reported free radical generation by these toxicants.

Key words: Nitrogen mustard, Mechlorethamine, Sulphur mustard, Acute toxicity, Percutaneous, Subcutaneous, Oxidative stress

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