Effect of glucose in mice after acute experimental poisoning with arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃)

Abstract

Carbohydrate depletion (glucose and glycogen) was reported to be a major problem in acute arsenic poisoning (Berry and Smythe 1959; Reichl et al. 1988; Szinicz and Forth 1988). In the present paper the effectiveness of glucose substitution was investigated in mice after acute experimental poisoning with As₂O₃. Four groups of ten mice each received As₂O₃, 12.9 mg/kg, s.c. After the injection the first group remained without further treatment, the second received saline every 2 h, the third 5% glucose, and the fourth 5% glucose + 0.12 IE insulin/kg i.p. Groups 5 and 6, five mice each, received either saline or glucose only. Group 7, five mice, remained without any treatment. Immediately after death the livers were removed for the enzymatic determination of glucose and glycogen. Mice receiving As₂O₃ only died within 22 h. The mean survival time was 12.4 h. In mice receiving As₂O₃ and after that saline, glucose, or glucose + insulin, an increase in the survival time to 30.8, 40.7, and 43.6 h, respectively, was observed. All mice which died showed a significant decrease in the liver glucose and glycogen content, compared to control animals. In livers of survivors, the glucose and glycogen content was not different to the control groups. The data suppport the assumption that carbohydrate depletion is an important factor in arsenic toxicity, and its substitution should be considered in the treatment of arsenic poisoning.