[Comparative studies on acute toxicity of glutaraldehyde using young and old rats]

Acute oral toxicity test of glutaraldehyde (GA) was carried out in young (5-6W) and old (57-60W) Wistar/ST rats. Experiment 1: Various doses of GA were administered by gavage. After 30 minutes, the rats showed abnormal gait, then took an abdominal or lateral position after 4 hours. Gross erosion, discoloration and thickening of the glandular stomach mucosa and hyperemia of the liver, intestine and lung were observed in the dead rats. The LD50 values were 283 mg/kg for young rats and 141 mg/kg for old rats. Experiment 2: One half of the LD50 doses (140 mg/kg and 70 mg/kg of GA) were administered to young and old rats by gavage, respectively. Both groups showed a similar toxicity. Organ weights were not changed. In gross findings, erosion, discoloration and thickening of the glandular stomach mucosa were observed on day 1-7, but these damages were recovered by day 14. Histopathologically, atrophy, degeneration, necrosis, hemorrhage, edema and cell infiltration of the glandular stomach mucosa were found on day 1. Recovery from these changes was observed from day 3. Changes in several serum enzyme activities were observed on day 1-3. Therefore, susceptibility to the acute toxic effect of GA was higher in old rats than in young rats. However, no apparent differences were observed in the toxic profiles by GA between young and old rats.