Dose-dependent effects of peroral dimethylformamide administration on rat brain.

Three-month-old Wistar rats were given dimethylformamide in their drinking water at three concentrations. Succinate dehydrogenase activity decreased at the two higher doses in brain after 2 or 7 weeks. Decreased glutathione concentration occurred at the highest dose. Cerebral azoreductase activity was below the control range after 7 weeks at all doses. Glial cell succinate dehydrogenase activity was below the control range in all animals. No qualitative changes in the spinal cord axon protein composition were detected. It is postulated that formic acid generated in the dimethylformamide metabolism might have led to a significant derangement of cerebral energy metabolism.