Biochemical and toxicological effects of short-term, intermittent xylene inhalation exposure and combined ethanol intake.

Intermittent inhalation of 300 ppm of xylene vapour 6 h daily for 2 weeks caused a marked accumulation of the solvent in the perirenal fat. Simultaneous ethanol ingestion reduced the solvent load significantly although the perirenal xylene concentration increased in both test groups between the first and second week of exposure. Xylene inhalation enhanced hepatic and renal ethoxycoumarin 0-deethylase activity about 1.5-fold. The combination of inhaled xylene and peroral ethanol showed a markedly potentiated effect on microsomal ethoxycoumarin 0-deethylase activity especially in the kidneys. The enhanced monooxygenase activity was compatible with the decreased body solvent burden. Therefore, simultaneous ethanol intake might significantly modify the toxicological hazard in xylene exposure. Slightly increased proteolysis was detected in brain of animals in the xylene-ethanol experiment after the second week. Brain RNA content decreased after 2 weeks of exposure in the ethanol consuming animals. Xylene inhalation enhanced cerebral DT-diaphorase activity in both groups after 2 weeks of exposure. Ethanol intake also potentiated the behavioural effects caused by the solvent inhalation.