Groups of 3 male rats were administered once by gavage (58.6, 152.3, 210.9 mg/kg bw) and by ip injection (15.2, 22.3, 30..5 mg/kg bw). Cyanide was slowly liberated from the dosed nitrile and excreted as cyanide and thiocyanate... .
Benzyl cyanide is...metabolized into benzoic acid and thiocyanate, probably via hydroxylation to mandelonitrile. Hydrolysis of cyanide group to give phenylacetic acid...occurs as minor pathway.
Benzyl cyanide can be metabolized by rat nasal tissue enzymes to cyanide. However, the cyanide produced could be metabolized efficiently to the less toxic thiocyanate in the nasal cavity.
... Benzyl cyanide (150 mg/kg) administered orally to rats led to markedly increased urinary thiocyanate levels; for male rats this was equivalent to 54% of the dose and for females this was 65% over a period of 3 days. When adjusted for incomplete recoveries of the marker, thiocyanate, these values equated to 61 and 89%, respectively.
Organic nitriles decompose into cyanide ions both in vivo and in vitro. Consequently the primary mechanism of toxicity for organic nitriles is their production of toxic cyanide ions or hydrogen cyanide. Cyanide is an inhibitor of cytochrome c oxidase in the fourth complex of the electron transport chain (found in the membrane of the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells). It complexes with the ferric iron atom in this enzyme. The binding of cyanide to this cytochrome prevents transport of electrons from cytochrome c oxidase to oxygen. As a result, the electron transport chain is disrupted and the cell can no longer aerobically produce ATP for energy. Tissues that mainly depend on aerobic respiration, such as the central nervous system and the heart, are particularly affected. Cyanide is also known produce some of its toxic effects by binding to catalase, glutathione peroxidase, methemoglobin, hydroxocobalamin, phosphatase, tyrosinase, ascorbic acid oxidase, xanthine oxidase, succinic dehydrogenase, and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase. Cyanide binds to the ferric ion of methemoglobin to form inactive cyanmethemoglobin. (L97)
来源:Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
毒理性
致癌物分类
对人类无致癌性（未列入国际癌症研究机构IARC清单）。
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Exposure to high levels of cyanide for a short time harms the brain and heart and can even cause coma, seizures, apnea, cardiac arrest and death. Chronic inhalation of cyanide causes breathing difficulties, chest pain, vomiting, blood changes, headaches, and enlargement of the thyroid gland. Skin contact with cyanide salts can irritate and produce sores. (L96, L97)
Cyanide poisoning is identified by rapid, deep breathing and shortness of breath, general weakness, giddiness, headaches, vertigo, confusion, convulsions/seizures and eventually loss of consciousness. (L96, L97)
