Euflavine: effect on brain heavy metal content and staining pattern, and on shuttle box behavior in goldfish.

Goldfish were exposed to euflavine in doses of 7-100 mg/l for 1h-14 days. The treatment resulted in a reduced stainability of the brain with the Timm histochemical procedure for "heavy metals". In contrast, analysis by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry showed no significant changes in the concentrations of zinc and of copper after euflavine treatment. In the shuttle box a significant increase in general activity was found. These results, compared to earlier work with other chelating agents, indicate that such drugs do not have a uniform effect on behavior, and that they do not cause a true depletion of heavy metals in the brain.