Elucidation of the toxic mechanism of benzalkonium chloride differing in carbon chain length for establishment of diagnostic criteria in forensic medicine

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18980
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58040:Forensics medicine-related
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Sekijima Hidehisa 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (60792447)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 塩化ベンザルコニウム / 炭素鎖長 / 致死量 / 体内動態 / 臓器傷害 / 急性肺傷害 / 細胞死

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we hypothesized that benzalkonium chloride (BAC) with a carbon chains C14 would be toxic at lower concentrations than BAC with a carbon chains C12. We compared the pharmacokinetics and organ toxicity of BAC between carbon chains using mice. The pharmacokinetics and organ toxicity of BAC were similar between carbon chains, and it could not obtain results that conform to the hypothesis in the method of this study. On the other hand, we discovered acute lung injury with apoptosis as a novel toxic mechanism after oral BAC ingestion in the courses of the study. These findings will be useful as a basic information for establishment of forensic diagnostic criteria for BAC poisoning.

Free Research Field

法中毒学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

塩化ベンザルコニウム(BAC)の経口摂取を原因とした中毒死の法医学的診断法は確立されていない。中毒死の診断法の確立のためには、BACの毒性機序の詳細を明らかにする必要がある。本研究で得られた成果は、BAC経口摂取後の毒性機序の理解を一層深めるものであり、法医実務に応用可能な診断基準の確立のみならず、急性中毒時の新たな治療法の確立のための基礎的知見として有用であると考えられる。