Effects of acute combined inhalation exposure to n-butyl alcohol and n-butyl acetate in experimental animals.

The effects of combined exposure to n-butyl alcohol and n-butyl acetate on rotarod performance and hot plate behaviour in rats and respiratory rate in mice were investigated in the condition of an acute inhalation experiment. Rotarod performance and hot-plate behaviour were tested in rats exposed to various concentrations of n-butyl alcohol, n-butyl acetate and their mixture consisting of 50 Vol-% n-butyl alcohol and 50 Vol-% n-butyl acetate immediately after termination of a 4-hour exposure period. The respiratory rate in mice was recorded continuously before the exposure to solvents, during 6 min of exposure and 6 min after termination of exposure using whole body plethysmographic method. Mice were exposed to vapours of single solvents and their 50:50 Vol-% mixture. Both solvents and their mixture caused concentration-dependent disturbances of rotarod performance in rat. The medial effective concentration (EC50) for the effect amounted to 7559 ppm, 8339 ppm and 10672 ppm for n-butyl alcohol, n-butyl acetate and their mixture, respectively. Both solvents and their mixture decreased sensitivity to the pain and changes were concentration-dependent. In condition of combined exposure the results obtained in rotarod and hot-plate behaviour test indicate the summation of individual solvent effects. The tested solvents resulted in concentration-dependent decrease in respiratory rate in mice. n-Butyl alcohol produced maximal decrease in respiratory rate in the first minute of exposure whereas n-butyl acetate in the sixth minute.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)