Possible nephrotoxic effect of carbon tetrabromide and its interaction with chlordecone

The hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects of CBr4 were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats following a single i.p. administration in a dose range of 25 to 125 microliter/kg to animals maintained for 15 days either on normal diet or a diet containing 10 ppm chlordecone (CD). At these doses, CBr4 did not cause hepatotoxic effects when given alone or in combination with prior exposure to CD. CBr4 caused renal dysfunction characterized by oliguria, aciduria and hypo-osmolality, and these effects were abolished by dietary CD pretreatment. In vitro incubation of renal cortical slices obtained from CBr4-treated animals revealed a significant depression of organic anion transport, i.e., decreased transport of p-aminohippurate (PAH). Organic cation transport was unaffected as judged by accumulation of tetraethylammonium (TEA). CBr4-induced renal dysfunction appeared unrelated to depressed PAH transport since CD pretreatment which abolished renal dysfunction failed to restore PAH transport. These results show that CD does not potentiate CBr4 hepatotoxicity and the nephrotoxic effects of this halomethane are abolished by prior exposure to CD.