Bromine levels in tissue lipids of rats fed brominated fatty acids.

Rats have been fed diets containing either 0.8% brominated corn oil or 0.5% of the ethyl ester of 9,10-dibromostearate or 9,10,12,13-tetrabromostearate. The brominated compounds were incorporated into semisynthetic diets and animals were observed after feeding periods of 5 days to 3 months. With the exception of adipose tissues, the highest concentration of lipid-bound bromine was observed after 5 days on the experimental diets. It was also observed that feeding of the dibromostearate resulted in the highest levels of lipid-bound bromine in heart, whereas the tetrabromostearate tended to result in higher levels of lipid-bound bromine in liver. Brominated corn oil produced more substantial changes than the brominated fatty acid esters, inducing fatty livers and enlarged yellow hearts. Microscopic examination indicated myocardial degeneration and occasional early necrosis.