The binding of CS2 in central nervous system of control and phenobarbitone-pretreated rats

The binding of 35S- and 14C-labelled CS2 in rat central nervous system (CNS) was studied in control and phenobarbitone-pretreated rats in vivo and in vitro. Animals received CS2 through intraperitoneal injection in olive oil. Samples were taken for analysis 3 and 6 h after the injection. Sulphur atoms were bound to rat brain more highly than carbon atoms in control and phenobarbitone-pretreated rats in vivo. The phenobarbitone pretreatment increased the cerebral binding of sulphur and decreased that of carbon. Main part of the bound sulphur and carbon was detected in the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) precipitable fraction in both test groups. Pretreatment with phenobarbitone or with polychlorinated hydrocarbon (PCB) mixture did not increase significantly the binding of CS2 sulphur in brain microsomes in vitro. The present findings suggest that a considerable amount of injected CS2 is retained in the nervous system and that phenobarbitone pretreatment of test subjects may also alter brain metabolism of CS2.