Biochemical effects of three chlorinated phenols in rat liver

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Abstract
The hepatic biochemical effects of three chlorinated phenols and one phenate were determined. Two oral doses of 1/5 the LD50 of 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5‐trichlorophenol, 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol and 2,3,4,6‐tetrachlorophenol were given 21 and 4 hours before sacrifice to four separate treatment groups of adult female rats. Although 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol is a carcinogen in lifetime rodent studies, no evidence was found for DNA damage in rat liver or white blood cells with the alkaline elution assay. Similarly no compound related changes were found in serum alanine amino‐transferase activity or hepatic glutathione. A dose of 193 mg/kg (slightly over the published rat LD50) of 2,3,4,6‐tetrachlorophenol increased five‐fold the activity of hepatic ornithine decarboxylase. At a dose of 500 mg/kg, 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol increased rat hepatic ODC activity by 106% and cytochrome P‐450 content by 41%. As 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol did not damage DNA in this acute study, it may cause cancer by an epigenetic mechanism such as promotion of the carcinogenic process.