EXPERIMENTAL GRISEOFULVIN PORPHYRIA IN ADULT AND FOETAL MICE.

It has been confirmed that when 1.25 and 2.5% griscofulvin is added to the diet of mice there is an increased faecal excretion and hepatic concentration of protoporphyrin and coproporphyrin. There was a significant increase in hepatic ALA dehydrase and a significant decrease in hepatic haemsynthetase in the griseofulvin intoxicated animals. When griseofulvin was added to the diet of mating mice, there was an inhibition of conception or early foetal growth; this inhibition was more marked when the female mouse was fed with the drug. The animals of the litter born to one female rat intoxicated with griseofulvin contained excessive hepatic and renal porphyrins. In an investigation of the blood, urinary and faecal porphyrins of seven patients who had been treated with griseofulvin for 4-49 month, it was found that only one patient had elevated faecal porphyrins and another had elevated erythrocyte porphyrins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]