Copper and zinc levels in peripheral nerve tissues of rats with experimental carbon-disulphide neuropathy.

Lukáš, E., Kotas, P., and Obrusník, I., (1974).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,31, 288-291. Copper and zinc levels in peripheral nerve tissues of rats with experimental carbon-disulphide neuropathy. By means of neutron activation analysis the levels of zinc and copper in peripheral nerve tissue of two groups of rats with carbon-disulphide neuropathy were estimated. The neuropathy (diagnosed electromyographically) was evoked by inhalation of 3·6 mg CS2/litre of air (variant 1) or 2·4 mg CS2/litre of air (variant 2). Stationary Zn levels were found in control and exposed animals in both of the experimental variants, while the copper levels increased very significantly from 4·2 ± 0·3 ppm to 9·9 ± 1·7 ppm in experimantal variant 1 and from 2·4 ± 0·3 ppm to 5·6 ± 0·6 ppm in variant 2. The experiments suggest that changes in metal metabolism of peripheral nerve tissue deserve attention as one of the possible pathological links in the development of carbon-disulphide intoxication.