The effects of the fumes from heated rosin (colophony) on tissue glutathione and xenobiotic metabolism in rat lung and liver.

Rats were exposed to the fumes from heated (360 degrees C) rosin for two weeks. The particulate concentration of the fumes was 220 mg/m3. Hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were decreased by 13% while no effect on GSH in the lungs was detected. In the liver the ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation and NADPH-cytochrome c reduction were enhanced 20% by the fumes. Hepatic cytochrome P-450 and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase were unaffected. An inhibition of pulmonary ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation (24%) and hepatic p-nitroanisole demethylation (29%) was noted in exposed rats.