Abstract
Effects of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol and perilla oil on the toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in male rat were studied. Rats were fed ad libitum for 6 weeks with the animal diet which contains PCB 30 ppm and 100 ppm. Perilla oil (0.5 g/kg body weight) and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol (30 mg/kg body weight) were administered intraperitoneally twice a week for 6 weeks. Rats fed with PCB showed enlargement of liver and spleen, increase in aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, sereum lipid and cytochrome P 450 and decrease in body weight and glutathione. When perilla oil was administered to rats fed with PCB increase in aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, serum lipid and cytochrome P45O and decrease in body weight and glutathione were significantly augmented, compared to rats fed with PCB alone. This means that perilla oil potentiates the toxicity of PCB. On the other hand when ${\alpha}$-tocopherol was administered to rats fed with PCB increase in aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, serum lipid and cytochrome P45O and decrease in body weight and glutathione were signigicantly reduced, compared to rats fed with PCB alone. This means that u-tocopherol reduces the toxicity of PCB. From the above results, it may be concluded that PCB is metabolized by microsomal mixed function oxidase and the metabolite causes the toxicity and microsomal glutathione plays a role of protection on the toxicity of PCB.