Toxicity of the hexachlorocyclohexane in rats.

Three groups, with 10 sixty-day-old male rats each, were given dietary levels of technical hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) 0, 0.9 and 900 ppm for 90 days. Observations were made on blood glucose, live glycogen and glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase), organ weights, histology and histochemistry of different tissues. Significant findings included growth retardation at 900 ppm, increased relative liver weight at the same dietary level, reduction of blood glucose levels at 0.9 ppm while liver glycogen and G-6-Pase levels were not affected in any dosage. Histological and histochemical changes were seen only in liver and kidneys, including steatosis and gutular hyaline degeneration in the kidneys of animals receiving dietary levels of technical HCH 900 ppm.