Toxic Properties of Some Dialkyl and Trialkyl Tin Salts

Work reported in recent years from this labora tory has outlined the general features of poisoning in animals given diand trialkyl tin salts (Stoner, Barnes, and Duff, 1955). More detailed accounts of the cerebral oedema produced by triethyl tin in rats (Magee, Stoner, and Barnes, 1957) and the bile duct and liver lesions produced by dibutyl tin salts in rats and mice have also been prepared (Magee and Barnes, 1957; Barnes and Magee, 1958). A number of alkyl tin salts have been considered for industrial uses. The trialkyl salts are powerful fungicides (van der Kerk and Luijten, 1954) and also have an insecticidal action (Blum and Bower, 1957). The dialkyl tin salts, especially the dibutyl, have been employed as stabilizers in plastic tubing used for a wide variety of purposes. Dibutyl tin salts have also been used as anthelmintics for poultry (Kerr, 1952). This paper summarizes observations made on 20 alkyl tin compounds given by several routes of administration to different species. Not every com pound has been fully studied but data for general comparative purposes have been assembled and particular attention has been paid to those com pounds likely to be used commercially. The biochemical effects of these alkyl tin com pounds are also being studied. Some observations have been published (Aldridge and Cremer, 1955; Cremer, 1957) together with a method of analysis (Aldridge and Cremer, 1957).