Evidence of hair loss after subacute exposure to 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide, a mustard analog, and beneficial effects of N-acetyl cysteine
✍ Scribed by Diptendu Chatterjee; Shyamali Mukherjee; Milton G. Smith; Salil K. Das
- Book ID
- 102297145
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2004
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 108 KB
- Volume
- 18
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1095-6670
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Mustard gas has been used as a vesicant chemical warfare agent. However, a suitable biomarker for monitoring mustard gas exposure is not known. We observed that the hairs of the guinea pigs exposed intratracheally to subacute doses of 2‐chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), a mustard analog, came out very easily though there was no sign of skin lesions or skin damage. Also the hairs looked rough and dry and lost the shiny glaze. There was no recovery from this hair loss, though the animals never became hairless, following CEES exposure. Hairs were observed in this study both visually and with light microscopy. Treatment with N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) prior to CEES exposure could prevent the hair loss completely. Hence, sudden hair loss might be a good biomarker for subacute exposure of mustard gas to subjects at risks when the victims might have no other visible symptom of toxicity © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:150–153, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20020