OBJECTIVES: Hexabromobenzene (HBB) is used as a flame retardant mainly added to plastics, timber and textiles. Tetrabromobenzene (TBB) is its metabolite. Both these compounds are present in the environment and in human and animal tissues. 1,4-Dibromobenzene (1,4-dBB) has found application in agriculture, pharmaceutical and some other industries as well as in households. It can also occur in the form of an environmental product of HBB debromination. It is known from laboratory experiments that animals after repeated exposure to these compounds, show the increase in relative liver weight. These results enable us to presume that benzene bromoderivatives may prove to be potential peroxisome proliferators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The investigated compounds were administrated intragastrically in three different doses for 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Catalase was determined according to the method of Johansson and Borg with use of Purpald. RESULTS: Repeated administration of the aforesaid compounds decreased catalase activity in the rat liver. CONCLUSIONS: The decreased level of catalase may point to its possible inactivation by metabolites of HBB, TBB and 1,4-dBB.
OBJECTIVES:Hexabromobenzene (HBB) is used as a flame retardant mainly added to plastics, timber and textiles. Tetrabromobenzene (TBB) is its metabolite. Both these compounds are present in the environment and in human and animal tissues. 1,4-Dibromobenzene (1,4-dBB) has found application in agriculture, pharmaceutical and some other industries as well as in households. It can also occur in the form of an environmental product of HBB debromination. It is known from laboratory experiments that animals after repeated exposure to these compounds, show the increase in relative liver weight. These results enable us to presume that benzene bromoderivatives may prove to be potential peroxisome proliferators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The investigated compounds were administrated intragastrically in three different doses for 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Catalase was determined according to the method of Johansson and Borg with use of Purpald. RESULTS: Repeated administration of the aforesaid compounds decreased catalase activity in the rat liver. CONCLUSIONS: The decreased level of catalase may point to its possible inactivation by metabolites of HBB, TBB and 1,4-dBB.