Studies on dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate toxicity: clinical, gross and microscopic pathology in the horse and guinea pig.

This research paper investigates the toxic effects of excessive doses of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS) on horses and guinea pigs, revealing severe diarrhea, rapid dehydration, and death in affected animals.

Objective of the Study

The goal of the study was to determine the impact of elevated levels of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS) – a common ingredient in over-the-counter laxatives – on the health of horses and guinea pigs. The researchers aimed to learn the possible toxic effects of the substance in higher concentrations than the recommended dosage.

Methodology and Experiment Procedure

• Horses and guinea pigs were administered DSS in dosages three to five times higher than the recommended dose.
• The drug was given per os, which means it was ingested orally.
• The researchers then observed the animals’ reactions and conducted necropsies after their deaths.

Findings

• The subjects suffered severe diarrhea and rapid dehydration, leading to death in some cases, demonstrating the severe toxicity of DSS in high concentrations.
• The study also found hemoconcentration, or the increase in the concentration of cells and solids in the blood, in both horses and guinea pigs.
• Guinea pigs that received the highest dosages displayed leukocytosis, a condition characterized by an increased number of white cells in the blood.
• Necropsy results showed fluid distention in the intestinal tract of all subjects.
• Histopathological analysis provided evidence of epithelial denudation, indicating that the lining of the intestine was shedding, and vascular stasis, a condition in which the blood flow through the vessels slows or stops.

Conclusions

• The study concludes that the lethal dose 50% (LD50), or the dosage lethal to 50% of a population, in guinea pigs was approximately 0.65g DSS/kg body weight. This information is valuable in determining safe dosage levels in veterinary medicine.
• The research emphasized the potential risks associated with administering excessive doses of DSS to animals, including health complications and death.