Ultrastructural changes in rat hepatocytes in acute intoxication with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)

The hepatotoxic effect of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was investigated. Ultrastructural changes were evaluated in transmission electron microscope. The experiment used 60 male Wistar rats divided into two groups: I--control-18 animals and II--42 animals which received chemically pure 2,4-D acid by gastric gavage in a dose of 200 mg/kg b.w. The animals were sacrificed after 12, 24, 48 hours and 4, 10 and 30 days of the experiment. The results obtained indicate that the administration of 2,4-D acid to rats in a dose inducing acute intoxication leads to ultrastructural changes in the liver, which suggest nonspecific reversible adaptative-type damage to parenchymal cells. The changes observed indicate disorders in energetic processes in hepatocytes and are morphological exponents of detoxicative processes there.