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ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION |
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| Year : 1997 | Volume
: 51
| Issue : 4 | Page : 120-122 |
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Haematological effects of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in mice - Results and possibilities
Shobha Shouche, HS Rathore
Cell Biology Unit, School of Studies in Zoology, Bikram University, Ujjain-456 010. (M.P.), India
Correspondence Address:
Shobha Shouche
Cell Biology Unit, School of Studies in Zoology, Bikram University, Ujjain-456 010. (M.P.)
India
PMID: 9355698
How to cite this article:
Shouche S, Rathore H S. Haematological effects of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in mice - Results and possibilities. Indian J Med Sci 1997;51:120-2 |
Hexachiorocyclohexane (HCH), previously wrongly called as BHC is a widely used chlorinated insecticide in India. [1] Its haematological effects are controversial in human beings and inadequate in animals. [2],[3] It, therefore, appeared worth observing haematological effects of technical HCH following acute, intermediate and chronic exposures.
| ¤ Materials and Methods | |  |
Adult Swiss Albino mice (28 ± 2 gms) were used. Technical grade HCH (Hexidol of Rallis Ltd. with 6.5% gamma isomer) was mixed in sunflower oil (Sweekar of Marico Industries) and 0.5 ml oily suspension having 100 mg HCH per mouse was administered once either intraperitoneally or orally for acute exposure; controls received vehicle i.e., oil only. For intermediate and chronic exposure. 500 mg and 10 mg HCH was mixed per Kg mice food and fed to mice for 100 and 400 days respectively. In this case HCH was initially dissolved in little absolute alcohol thoroughly mixed in food and alcohol was allowed to evaporate into air. Alcoholwas also added and evaporated from the food of controls. Blood was draw directly by from the heart after 8±1 hours, 101 days and 401 days respectively following acute, intermediate and chronic exposures.
| ¤ Results | | |
The results are presented in [Table 1] and for brevity value are expressed as percentage changes from the controls. HCH induced anaemia is evident in mice following all exposures.
| ¤ Discussion | | |
Present findings strengthens earlier reports claiming HCH induced anaemia in birds, rats and mice. [4],[5],[6] None of the earlier studies included all three exposures. It becomes necessary to mention here that human health effects of technical HCH and its principal isomers i.e. alpha, beta and gama (lindane) are known [2],[3] but unfortunately right from beginning toxic effect on bone marrow was not mentioned, [7] which later on became an issue of debate because gamma HCH induced injury to bone marrow and anaemia were reported by some scientists while others failed to observed this effect. [2],[3] Finally Environmental Protection Agency, US also denied [8] such effect. Nevertheless rare cases of aplastic anaemia among children sing gamma HCH against scabies were noticed. [9] Results of the present animal experiment warm that heavy use of HCH in India may cause similar health effects among general public as seen among occupationally exposed workers. [10] It is interesting to mention here that this report [10] confirmed cardiac effects of HCH which were also controversial in the beginning and this finding in turn was further supported by results of animal models i.e. in rabbit and mice. [11],[6]
| ¤ Summary | | |
Adult male Swiss albino mice when exposed to a chlorinated insecticide hexachlorocyclohexane (HGH or BHC) at 100 mg/mouse/ once oral and i. p. both for acute exposures and 500 ppm and 10 ppm in food for 100 and 400 days respectively for intermediate and chronic exposures. Haematological observations revealed HCHinduced anaemia.
| ¤ Acknowledgement | | |
Authors thank UGC, New Delhi for giving TRF to Shobha Shouche and to Professor K. S. Rao for providing departmental facilities.
| ¤ References | | |
| 1. | Anon. Estimated demand of pesticide for 1991-912. Pesticide information service, 1991;16:15.  |
| 2. | E.H.C. - 123 - Environmental Health Criteria No. 123 - Apha and Beta hexachlorocyclohexane. W.H.O. Publication, Geneva, 1991. |
| 3. | E.H.C. - 124 - Environmental Health Criteria, 124, Lindane W.H.O. Publication, Geneva, 1991. |
| 4. | Mandal A., Chakraborty S, Lahiri P. Haematological charges produced by Lindane (gamma HCH) in six species of birds. Toxicology 1986;40:103-111. |
| 5. | Ali SS, Shakoori AR. Gamma BHC induced haematological and biochemical changes in blood of albino rats. Proc 8th Pak Cong Zool 1988; 61-76. |
| 6. | Shouche S, Rathore HS. Early changes changes in mice blood, serum enzymes, heart, lung and trachae following acute toxicity of Hexachlorocyclohexane HCH. Ind J Occupl Hlt 1995;38:64-73. |
| 7. | AMACP (American Medical Association Committee on Pesticides). Toxic effects of technical Benzene hexachloride and its principal isomers (Report to the council on pharmacy and chemistry), JAMA 1951;147:571. |
| 8. | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). Health effect assessment for lindane. Cincinnati, Ohio. 1984, Report No. EPA/540/1-86/056. |
| 9. | Volans G. National Poison Unit Letter to International Programme no chemical safety cited in EHC-124, WHO Pubication, Geneva, pp. 123, 1991. |
| 10. | Nigam SK, Karnik AB, Chattopadhyay P, Lakkad BC, Venkatesh K, Kashyap SK. Ciinical and Biochemical investigations to evolve early diagnosis in workers involved in the manufacture of Hexachlorocyclohexane.Int Arch Occup & Environ Hlt 1903;65:193-196. |
| 11. | Anand M, Gulati A, Gopal K, Khanna RN, Ray PK, Chandra SV. Hypertension and myocarditis in rabbits exposed to hexachlorocyclohexane and endosulfan. Vet Hum Toxicol 1990;32:521-523. |
[Table 1]
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| Del Prado-Lu, J.L. | | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology. 2007; 2(1): Art 9 | | [Pubmed] | |
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