Summary
Commercial hexane which caused polyneuropathy in many workers contained 10–40% of 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane and methylcyclopentane in addition to n-hexane. The hexacarbon compounds methyl n-butyl ketone, 2,5-hexanedione and etc. were shown to be neurotoxic like n-hexane. Therefore, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane and methylcyclopentane which are also hexacarbon compounds were suspected to be neurotoxic, but their neurotoxicity had not been sufficiently investigated. The present experiment was performed to clarify their neurotoxicity by measuring the nerve conduction velocity in the rat's tail. Thirty rats were divided into five groups of 5–7 rats. n-Hexane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane and methylcyclopentane were diluted with olive oil and orally administered daily for eight weeks. The body weight, motor nerve conduction velocity, motor distal latency and mixed nerve conduction velocity were measured before administration, after two, four, six and eight weeks' administration.
The n-hexane group showed a distinct impairment of the functional states of the peripheral nerve. Methylcyclopentane, 2-methylpentane and 3-methylpentane group had some significant differences in comparison with the control in the experiment, although these differences were not so distinct as those in n-hexane group. The results revealed that the neurotoxicity of the three chemicals was not so severe as that of n-hexane and were in the order of n-hexane > methylcyclopentane ≥ 2-methylpentane \(\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\cdot}$}}{\dot = } \) 3-methylpentane.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abbritti G, Siracusa A, Cianchetti C, Coli CA, Curradi F, Rerticoni GF, De Rosa F (1976) Shoe makers' polyneuropathy in Italy: the aetiological problem. Br J Ind Med 33:92–99
ACGIH (1980) TLVs for chemical substances and physical agents in the workroom environment with intended changes for 1980
Browning E (1965) Toxicity and metabolism of industrial solvents, 1st ed. Elsevier, Amsterdam London New York
Fabre R, Truhaut R, Peron M (1952) Recherches toxicologiques sur les solvants de remplacement du benzene. 1. etude du cyclohexane. Arch Malad Prof 13:437–448
Francini I, Cavatorta A, D'Errico M, De Santis M, Romita G, Gatti R, Juvatta G, Palla G (1977) Studies on the etiology of the experimental neuropathy from industrial adhesive (glues). Experientia 34:250–252
Inoue T, Takeuchi Y, Takeuchi S, Yamada S, Suzuki H, Matsushita T, Miyagaki H, Maeda K, Matsumoto T (1979) A health survey on vinyl sandal manufactures with high incidence of “n-hexane” intoxication. Jpn J Ind Health 12:73–84
Herskowitz A, Ishii N, Schaumburg HH (1971) n-Hexane neuropathy. A syndrome occuring as a result of industrial exposure. N Engl J Med 285:82–85
Misumi J, Kawakami M, Nomura S (1980) Experimental studies on the relationship between molecular configuration and neurotoxicity of aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds. Proceeding of 53rd Japanese Conference of Occupational Health, Sendai, pp 241–242
Ono Y, Takeuchi Y, Hisanaga N (1979) Studies on the method of measuring nerve conduction velocity in rat's tail and on comparative toxicity of n-hexane, methyl n-butyl ketone and 2,5-hexanedione. Jpn J Ind Health 21:528–538
Perbellini L, Brugnone F, Pavan I (1980) Identification of the metabolites of n-hexane, cyclohexane and their isomers in men's urine. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 53:220–229
Schaumburg HH, Spencer PS (1976) Degeneration in central and peripheral nervous systems produced by pure n-hexane; an experimental study. Brain 99:183–192
Spencer PS, Schaumburg HH (1975) Experimental neuropathy produced by 2,5-hexanedione — a major metabolite of the neurotoxic industrial solvent methyl n-butyl ketone. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 38:771–775
Spencer PS, Schaumburg HH, Raleigh RL, Terhaar C (1975) Nervous system degeneration produced by industrial solvent methyl n-butyl ketone. Arch Neurol 32:219–222
Spencer PS, Bischoff MC, Schaumburg HH (1978) On the specific molecular configuration of neurotoxic aliphatic hexacarbon compounds causing central-peripheral distal axonopathy. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 44:17–28
Spencer PS, Sabri MI, Politis M (1979) Methyl n-butyl ketone, carbon disulfide and acrylamide; putative mechanism of neurotoxic damage. In: Manzo L (ed) Advances in neurotoxicology. Pergamon, Oxford New York Toronto Sydney Paris Frankfurt, pp 134–137
Takeuchi Y, Ono Y, Hisanaga N, Kitoh J, Sugiura Y (1980) A comparative study on the neurotoxicity of n-pentane, n-hexane and n-heptane in the rat. Br J Ind Med 37:241–247
Takeuchi Y, Ono Y, Hisanaga N (1981) An experimental study on the combined effects of n-hexane and toluene on the peripheral nerve of the rat. Br J Ind Med 38:14–19
Yamada S (1967) Polyneuritis in workers exposed to n-hexane, its cause and symptoms. Jpn J Ind Health 9:651–659
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This investigation had been performed by receiving a grant for scientific research of the Chiyoda Mutual Life Foundation in 1979–1980
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ono, Y., Takeuchi, Y. & Hisanaga, N. A comparative study on the toxicity of n-hexane and its isomers on the peripheral nerve. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 48, 289–294 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405616
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405616