목적: 본 연구는 BADGE의 경구 투여에 의한 급성 독성학적 연구를 수행하여 기존의 연구 결과를 확인하고 추후 내분비계 장애 연구에 필요한 기초자료를 얻고자 하였다. 방법: 수컷 SD 랏트에 0, 1000, 2000, 4000과 8000㎎/㎏/day의 BADGE와 DES 0.37 ㎎/㎏/day의 농도를 단회 경구로 투여한 후 14일간 일반 증상 등을 관찰하였고 14일 후 부검하였다. 결과: BADGE를 투여한 모든 군에서 투여 후 3일째에 설사와 다른 일반 증상들이 관찰되었고 체중도 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 특히 8000 ㎎/㎏/day의 BADGE를 투여한 랏트에서 투여 후 3일째에 대조군에 비해 유의한 수준으로 체중이 감소하는 것을 관찰할 수 있었다. 일부 BADGE 투여군에서 대조군에 비해 심장(1000, 2000과 4000 ㎎/㎏/day), 간(1000, 2000, 4000과 8000 ㎎/㎏/day)과 전립샘(4000 ㎎/㎏/day)의 무게의 감소가 관찰되었다. BADGE 투여군의 간(1000과 4000 ㎎/㎏/day)과 전립샘(8000 ㎎/㎏/day)의 상대 무게가 대조군과 차이를 보였다. 고환을 제외한 모든 장기에서 조직학적인 변화는 관찰되지 않았으며 고환에서는 세정관에서 정자세포의 감소가 관찰되었다. 고환과 부고환의 sperm head 수를 보면, 고환에서만 감소하는 경향을 보였으며 정자의 운동성과 기형은 대조군과 차이가 없었다. 혈장 에스트로겐과 테스토스테론 농도는 대조군과 모든 투여군 간의 유의한 차이가 없었다. 결론: BADGE를 랏트에 경구 투여 하였을 때 1000 ㎎/㎏/day의 수준에서도 일반 독성 및 생식독성을 유발시킬 수 있음을 보여준다.
Objectives: Bisphenol A Di Glycidyl Ether (BADGE) is the major component in commercial liquid epoxy resins, which are manufactured by co-reacting bisphenol A with epichlorohydrin. The authors investigated the acute toxicity of BADGE. Methods: BADGE was administered by a gavage to 8 week old SPF Sprague Dawley rats in a single dose of 0 (negative control), 0.37 (Diethylstilbesterol, DES), 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 ㎎/㎏/day of BADGE. Each treatment group contained 7 rats. The general status and weight of the rats were observed for 14 days. The rats were anesthetized by ether at 14 days, and the changes in morphology, organ weight, sperm count and motility, and hormone level were measured. Results: All the rats treated with BADGE had diarrhea on the 1st day. The rats administered BADGE at 1000, 2000, and 4000 ㎎/㎏/day showed a soiled perineal region and soft stools with diarrhea until the 3rd day. The 8000 ㎎/㎏/day BADGE rats had diarrhea for two days followed by emaciation, soiled fur, a soiled perineal region, staining around the mouth and were moribund for three to eight days. No weight gain was observed after the 1st day in the 2000, 4000, and 8000 ㎎/㎏/day BADGE rats and after the 7th day in all the treatment groups compared with the control groups. Some treatment groups were observed to have a decrease in the weight of the heart (BADGE 1000, 2000 and 4000 ㎎/㎏/day), liver (BADGE 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 ㎎/㎏/day) and prostate (BADGE 4000 ㎎/㎏/day) compared with control group. The weight of the liver was significantly lower in all treatment groups compared with the control group. The relative weight of the liver (BADGE 1000 and 4000 ㎎/㎏/day) was significant lower than the control. No pathological changes were observed in the brain, liver, thyroid, heart, spleen, kidney, lung and prostate. The number of spermatid in the seminiferous tubule in the testes was lower in all treatment groups than the control. The sperm motility tended to decrease with increasing concentration but the sperm count was similar in all treatment groups. The plasma Estrogen and testosterone level were similar in the control and treatment groups. Conclusions: These results suggest that BADGE induces general, hepatic and reproductive toxicity at 1000 ㎎/㎏/day.
