Abstract
BackgroundFormaldehyde is associated with many adverse health effects and is classified as a human carcinogen. Formaldehyde is highly water-soluble and readily absorbed and metabolized by the respiratory mucosa upon inhalation. The histopathological effects of formaldehyde on the nasal mucosa and olfactory nerves in adult New Zealand white rabbits were studied to validate this animal model of inhalational irritants.ResultsCompared to control group 1 (exposed to air), groups 2 and 3 (exposed to formaldehyde for 90 min and 210 min, respectively) exhibited disrupted nasal tissue, ulcerated epithelial coverings, markedly dilated blood vessels, and increased numbers of inflammatory cells in the lamina propria. The olfactory neuro-epithelium exhibited a reduction in the number of cilia. Many sustentacular cells lost their microvilli. Olfactory nerves exhibited nerve bundle shrinkage within the perineural sheath, leaving an empty space with evidence of edema within the nerve fibers.ConclusionFormaldehyde inhalation has destructive effects on the nasal mucosa and olfactory nerves in adult New Zealand white rabbits. These results validate the use of this animal model to assess the effects of inhalational irritants on the nasal mucosa.
Highlights
Formaldehyde is associated with many adverse health effects and is classified as a human carcinogen
Olfactory nerve fibers exhibited an intact uniform perineural sheath that was filled with uniform nerve bundles (Fig. 2)
Shrinkage of olfactory nerve bundles was noted within the perineural sheath, leaving an empty space with evidence of edema within the nerve fibers (Fig. 4)
Summary
Formaldehyde is associated with many adverse health effects and is classified as a human carcinogen. Formaldehyde is highly water-soluble and readily absorbed and metabolized by the respiratory mucosa upon inhalation. The histopathological effects of formaldehyde on the nasal mucosa and olfactory nerves in adult New Zealand white rabbits were studied to validate this animal model of inhalational irritants. Acute exposure to formaldehyde is associated with respiratory tract inflammation and irritation of the eyes and skin. Formaldehyde is considered an animal and human carcinogen and causes nasal squamous cell carcinomas in rats chronically exposed to concentrations of 6 ppm and greater [5, 6]. Formaldehyde is associated with an increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer and possibly leukemia [7, 8]
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