Abstract
Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) has received much attention because of its possible, albeit controverted, therapeutic value. Relatively large doses can be safely given to experimental animals; e.g., the LD50 for ip administration in rats is 13.08 gm/kg 1 . DMSO is an excellent solvent and has proved useful as a vehicle for the parenteral administration of antibiotics and other drugs. Biological actions of DMSO were recently reviewed 2 .
DMSO has been widely used as a cryoprotective agent for single cells and tissues 3 . Its effect on cold-exposed intact animals, however, has received little study. Intraperitoneal injection of DMSO (3-6 gm/kg) causes a slight fall in the body temperature of mice 4 and rats 5 maintained at ordinary room temperatures. The same doses can cause deep hypothermia and death within a few hours during exposure to an ambient temperature of 1°C 5 . Oxygen consumption by cold-exposed rats and hamsters is significantly reduced following DMSO treatment 6 , and this implies a reduction in heat production needed for the maintenance of thermal balance under cold stress.
Methods. Subjects. The subjects were 58 unshaved, Lung-Evans male rats, weighing an average of 281 (240-340) gm.
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