Chemical and behavioral studies of 1-piperidinocyclohexanecarbonitrile (PCC): evidence for cyanide as the toxic component.

In vitro and in vivo studies of piperidinocyclohexanecarbonitrile (PCC): evidence for cyanide involvement in toxicity. The decomposition profile of piperidinocyclohexanecarbonitrile (PCC) was determined under simulated physiological conditions in vitro and in normal saline using gas chromatography. In normal saline, PCC undergoes pseudo first order decomposition with a k = 2.2 x 10(-2) min-1 (t 1/2 = 31.6 min). In 0.05 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4 at 37 degrees C, k = 0.19 min-1 (t 1/2 = 3.7 min), and in human serum incubations, k = 0.15 min-1 (t 1/2 = 4.6 min). The median effective doses (ED50's) of PCC and NaCN for motor impairment in mice were determined using the screen test (PCC = 48.5 micrometers/kg; NaCN = 36.7 micrometers/kg). The median lethal doses (LD50's) of PCC and NaCN in mice were also determined (PCC = 133.6 micrometers/kg; NaCN = 130.6 micrometers/kg). Observations of the behavioral effects and gross appearance of the animals after NaCN and PCC injections revealed marked similarities. This study supports the hypothesis that many of the effects of PCC are probably due to the release of cyanide in vivo.