Preliminary investigations into the involvement of the intestinal microflora in CNS toxicity induced by 1,3-dinitrobenzene in male F-344 rats.

Administration of a single oral dose of 20 mg/kg of 1,3-dinitrobenzene caused ataxia in germ-free male F-344 rats but not in conventional rats. Repeated oral dosing of 20 mg/kg, 1,3-DNB was required to cause ataxia in conventional rats. Considerable differences were observed between the uptake, tissue distribution and excretion of DNB in germ-free and conventional rats.