Acute toxicity of patulin in mice and rats.

Patulin had the following 14·day LD,o values when dissolved in saline (pH 7.2) and given as a single i.p. dose: mice, 7.6 mg/kg and weanling rats, 5.9 mg/kg. Administration by stomach tube increased the single dose LD so value to 17 and 108-118 mg/kg in mice and weanling rats, respectively. Neonatal rats given a single dose of patulin 24 h after birth gained less weight (dose-response relationship apparent than controls during the interval from dosing to 21 days of age. The 14-day oral LD,o in these neonates was 6.8 mg/kg. Patulin potentiated pentoharbital-induced narcosis in adult mice. Because the lethal effect of patulin also was increased by pretreatment with SKF-525A, we suggest that the parent compound, not a metabolite, is the toxic form of this mycotoxin. Death generally occurred within 48-72 h regardJess of the route of patulin administration or animal species involved. Focal hepatic necrosis occurred in 10% of the treated mIce. Atelectasis was pro,ninent in 64% of the lungs, and alveolar septal congestion and limited intraalveolar hemorrhage were found in an additional 36% of the treated mice and weanling rats. Although stomachs from nurseling rats exposed by gavage to patulin were massively distended with milk, microscopic examination showed no changes other than the extremely stretched wall.