Toxicity of fatty ozonides and peroxides

Studies on the acute toxicity of the ozonides and hydroperoxides of methyl linoleate are reported. High purity preparations of these compounds were injected intravenously or administered orally to adult male rats. The lethal dose by iv injection of these compounds was virtually the same −0.07 mmol/100 g body wt. No deaths were caused in a 24 hr period by single oral dosages of these compounds of ca. 10-fold that causing death by the iv route. The major effect of these compounds was on the lungs. The lungs became enlarged from edema and accumulation of fluid, and the animals died of lung congestion and injury similar to the effects of ozone toxicity. There was no destruction of vitamin E in the tissues of animals given lethal dosages of ozonides or peroxides intravenously, but significant changes occurred in fatty acid composition of the lipids of the serum and lung. Arachidonic acid increased at the expense of linoleic and oleic acids in these tissues. Only small amounts of peroxidic and TBA positive substances were detected in lung and serum, indicating that the injected ozonides and hydroperoxides were destroyed in the tissues.