The cell toxicity and hemolytic action of asbestos dusts were studied. The toxic effect of asbestos dusts to macrophages was estimated by the change of acid phosphatase activity, TTC reducing capacity and lactic acid yielding power of the cells.
The rise of acid phosphatase activity, drop of lactic acid production and hemolysis were provoked by sepiolite, palygorskite and chrysotile among asbestos dusts. But, the drop of TTC reducing capacity was not clearly produced by these asbestos dusts. The other asbestos dusts were inert on the macrophage and erythrocyte. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injection of sepiolite was very harmful to rat. That is, all injected rats died within 48 hours, while there was no lethal case in injected rats with antigorite and their weights followed the curve of non-injected rats for 3 months.