Renal and spermatozoal toxicity of alpha-bromohydrin, 3-bromolactate and 3-bromopyruvate.

(R,S)- and (R)-3-Bromopropan-1,2-diol (alpha-bromohydrin) produced diuresis and glucosuria when administered to male rats but had no effect on the metabolic activity of rat kidney tubules in vitro. The oxidation products (R,S)-3-bromolactate and 3-bromopyruvate produced brief phases of diuresis but not glucosuria, and severely inhibited the metabolic activity of rat kidney tubules in vitro. alpha-Bromohydrin had no effect on the metabolic activity of boar spermatozoa whereas the oxidation products severely affected mitochondrial metabolism. 3-Bromopyruvate also inhibited boar spermatozoal glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.