Studies on the use of activated charcoal and cholestyramine for reducing the body burden of polybrominated biphenyls.

Weanling male rats were exposed to a polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) mixture (Firemaster FF-1) in their diet so that they received 1 mg/kg/day for 6 months. They were then fed a normal diet for 4 months. Following this they were placed on diets containing either activated charcoal (AC) or cholestyramine (CSA) for 6 months to evaluate the usefulness of these compounds in reducing the body burdens of the retained PBBs. Periods of restricted caloric intake were also used in an effort to mobilize PBBs stored in fat. Neither compound nor restricted caloric intake was found to be effective in reducing tissue bromine levels but CSA proved useful in preventing the progression of chronic progressive nephropathy, a spontaneous lesion of aging rats.