The effects of three tetrachlorobiphenylols [2',3',4',5'-tetrachloro-2-biphenylol (1); 2',3',4',5'-tetrachloro-4- biphenylol (2); and 2',3',4',5'-tetrachloro-3-biphenylol (3)]; three monochlorobiphenylols [5-chloro-2-biphenylol (5), 3-chloro-2-biphenylol (6); and 2-chloro-4-biphenylol (7)] and a tetrachlorobiphenyldiol [3,3',5,5'-tetrachloro-4,4'-biphenyldiol (4) on respiration, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, and swelling in isolated mouse liver mitochondria have been investigated. Tetrachlorobiphenylols (1-3) and the tetrachlorobiphenyldiol (4) inhibited state-3 respiration in a concentration-dependent manner with succinate as substrate (flavin adenine dinucleotide [FAD]-linked) and the tetrachlorobiphenyldiol (4) caused a more pronounced inhibitory effect on state-3 respiration than the other congeners. The monochlorobiphenylols 5-7 were less active as inhibitors of state-3 mitochondrial respiration and significant effects were observed only at higher concentration (greater than or equal to 0.4 microM). However, in the presence of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-linked substrates (glutamate plus malate), hydroxylated PCBs (1-7) significantly inhibited mitochondrial state-3 respiration in a concentration-dependent manner. Compounds 5, 6, and 7 uncoupled mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation only in the presence of FAD-linked substrate as evidenced by increased oxygen consumption during state-4 respiratory transition, stimulating ATPase activity, releasing oligomycin-inhibited respiration, and inducing mitochondrial swelling (5, 6, and 7). Tetrachlorobiphenylols 1, 2, and 3 had no effect on mitochondrial ATPase activity while the tetrachlorobiphenyldiol, 4, decreased the enzyme activity. The possible inhibitory site of electron transport by these compounds and their toxicologic significance is discussed.

Ethoxyquin (EQ, 1,2-dihydro-6-ethoxy-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline) was purified and converted to a crystalline, stable ethoxyquin hydrochloride (EQ-HCl). The readily available (technical grade) oily EQ reacted with concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl) and precipitated as a crystalline salt (EQ-HCl) in acetone, leaving most of the impurities in solution. The regenerated free base (EQ) from the EQ-HCl was further purified by silicagel column chromatography to remove several minor contaminants, and the pure unstable EQ was immediately converted into a pure stable salt (EQ-HCl). The dietary administration of EQ-HCl, 0.25 or 0.5% in the feed, induced hepatic and intestinal thiols in mice and provided protection against toxic doses of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The LD50 values of the 0.125 and 0.25% EQ-HCl-pretreated mice were 94.0 and 98.5 mg/kg, respectively, compared to that of controls, 71.3 mg/kg. The EQ-HCl-supplemented feed appeared to be more palatable, but other effects, such as the hepatic hypertrophy, the tissue thiol induction, and the protective effects, were comparable to those of unpurified EQ.