LD50 values and serum biochemical changes induced by T-2 toxin in rats and rabbits.

Experiments were conducted to study the acute and subacute effects of intramuscularly injected T-2 toxin in rats and rabbits. The LD50 values of T-2 toxin were 0.85 +/- 0.03 and 1.10 +/- 0.08 mg/kg body wt in rats and rabbits, respectively. The intoxication was characterized by a consistent decrease in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity following either a single injection of 0.5, 0.6, or 0.9 mg/kg T-2 toxin in rats or daily injections of 0.2 mg/kg T-2 toxin for 10 days in rats and rabbits. Significant increases in bromosulfalein (BSP) retention and ALP activity were also observed in rabbits 24 hr following a single injection of 0.6 mg/kg T-2 toxin. The results indicated that the hepatobiliary system is a major target organ for T-2 toxin. Alterations in the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) and in the hematocrit values were also observed.