Some aspects of the toxicology of trimethyl and triethyl phosphorothioates

The pharmacokinetics (disposal curves) of trimethyl and triethyl phosphorothioates have been determined. The concentrations to which the lung has been exposed at the LD50 dose of different chemical structures have been compared with the dose administered to the animal; the variation of LD50 of different chemical structures is little reduced. The in vitro kinetics of the reaction of O,S,S-trimethyl phosphorodithioate or O,O,S-triethyl phosphorothioate with plasma cholinesterase and carboxylesterase and brain acetylcholinesterase have been determined. The relation between inhibition and circulating concentrations in vivo have been examined. Changes in Clara cells reported by others seem to be physiological rather than pathological. O,S,S-Trimethyl phosphorodithioate is metabolised by rat lung and liver slices and microsomes. From these studies and the effect of various pretreatments of the rats on toxicity to the lung, it is probable that the proximal toxin is produced in the lung by oxidative attack on the alkylthio moeity of the compounds.