Comparative Effects of Cyclophosphamide, Nitrogen Mustard, and Total-Body Irradiation on Survival and on White Blood Cells in Rats

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Abstract
The effect in rats of cyclophosphamide, HN2 [mechiorethamine], and total-body irradiation on survival, weight response, and white blood cells has been studied. After the LD50 dose, death occurred about 1 week earlier after HN2 than after cyclophosphamide or radiation, probably because the gastrointestinal tract and brain tissue are more susceptible to HN2 than to cyclophosphamide or radiation. The lymphocyte response to the different treatments was in principle the same, in contrast to the differences in the granulocyte response. Thus, after the initial granulocytopenia an overshooting granulocytosis occurred in the drug-treated animals. This granulocytosis increased with increasing dosage. In contrast, the granulocytes increased only temporarily to subnormal values during re overy in the irradiated animals, and this temporary rise in the granmocytes was less pronounced with increasing radiation dosage. The response to bacterial vaccine intravenously injected indicates differences in the magnitude of the extravascular granulocyte reserves after the drugs and X-irradiation.