Toxicity of lead acetate to female rabbits after chronic subcutaneous administration. 1. Biochemical and clinical effects.

The effect of chronic subcutaneous administration of lead acetate was studied in female rabbits. The low-dose group (15 animals) received three times a week 0.10-0.20 microgram/kg body weight and the high-dose group (15 animals) 0.80-1.20 micrograms/kg. The control group received the vehicle only. Concentrations of lead in blood in the low-dose group increased to ca. 400 micrograms/l after 70 days and in the high-dose group to ca. 900 micrograms/l after 110 days. After 7.5 months eight animals of each group were sacrificed. The remaining rabbits were kept for an additional 4 months without treatment. Blood lead concentrations decreased with a half-time of 60-70 days. During exposure the gain in body weight was lower in the high-dose group than in the control group and the low-dose group. The high-dose group developed slight anaemia and low MCV, MCH and MCHC, and basophilic stippling of erythrocytes. These effects disappeared during recovery. ALAD activity in erythrocytes was very low during exposure in both exposed groups and did not reach control values during recovery. During exposure the concentrations of ZPP and ALA-U increased, but only ALA-U returned to normal during recovery. No other effects of lead on the composition of the urine were observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)