Dexamethasone decreases lethality of rats in acute poisoning with T-2 toxin.

T-2 toxin, a major trichothecene mycotoxin, was administered intravenously to rats. At a dose of 0.75 mg/kg two thirds of the animals died. In animals that received dexamethasone (1.6 mg/kg IV) either 30 min before or 1 h after the toxin, there was a more than fourfold reduction in lethality rate. Dexamethasone injected 3 h after the toxin was less effective. At a lethal dose of T-2 toxin (1 mg/kg IV) pretreatment with dexamethasone only delayed death, whereas lethality rate was barely affected (9/10 vs 10/10 in controls). Dexamethasone markedly reduced the incidence of lung edema and diarrhea. The incidence of hemorrhages, however, was not reduced by dexamethasone. Gastrointestinal bleeding was even more frequent in treated rats than in controls.