Peripheral erythrocyte levels, hemolysis and three vanadium compounds.

Three vanadium compounds of different valence states were administered to adult mice. Two, four, and eight days following treatment of vanadium, cardiac blood was collected. The blood sample was used to ascertain the peripheral erythrocyte count (cell/mm3) and to determine the in vitro hemolytic index of erythrocytes obtained from mice treated in vivo with either the tri-, tetra-, or pentavalent vanadium compound. Data indicate that the tetravalent form was the most effective test substance in 1) promoting rupture of isolated erythrocytes compared to red cells retrieved from control mice and 2) depressing the erythrocyte count obtained from heart blood; maximum effects were manifest four days post-treatment. For all treatments there appeared to be a good correlation between the degree of vanadium-induced hemolysis and the peripheral erythrocyte count reduction following exposure to the vanadium.