Abstract
A possible pharmacological effect of zinc against the pulmonary toxicant paraquat has been studied. Rats were treated with zinc either by inhalation of zinc oxide fume aerosol or consumption of zinc supplemented food. The animals were then injected with paraquat ip (30 mg/kg) and lethality monitored for 7 days. Neither zinc inhalation nor dietary zinc protected the animals against paraquat-induced lethality. In fact, exposure of rats to zinc oxide fume aerosol potentiated the lethal effects of paraquat. The mechanism of paraquat-induced lung toxicity at the cellular level does not appear to directly involve a zinc-dependent step. This distinguishes paraquat from other injurious agents which have been reported to respond to zinc.
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