Some effects of synthetic fluoro compounds on the metabolism of acetate and citrate

Abstract

Injections into rats of some fluoro compounds followed by (2-C14) acetate led to reduction in the C14O2 expired as follows fluoroacetate 40%, fluorocitrate 30%, and fluoropyruvate 50%. The carcasses of the poisoned animals contained more radioactivity than the other tissues examined. In male rats, whereas generally fluoroacetate induced no rise in citric acid content of the liver, fluorocitrate injections caused immediate rise in the citric acid level. Fluorocitrate when injected intracerebrally has as high a toxocity for the rat as for pigeons and rabbits. The urine from animals injected with fluorocitrate gave a marked Rothera''s test. Fluoroacetylhydroxamic acid when injected caused convulsions in 90 minutes with only slight increases in kidney citrate. Diethyl fluoro-oxaloacetate also increased citrate in kidney, but without convulsions. Fluoromalamide had no effect. Fluoropyruvic acid when injected gave convulsions in 4 hours, with no increase in citric acid. Several substances tried did not reverse the effect. In vitro, fluorpyruvic acid inhibited the metabolism of pyruvic acid.