An Overview on Systemic Effects of Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) Exposure

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is an environmental toxin with the ability to induce successive multi organs damage after formation of trichloromethyl radical through biotransformation. The later molecule causes lipid peroxidation, generation of ROS, reduction of antioxidant enzymes, membrane damage and breakdown of cytoarchitecture. The most affected organs are liver kidney, lung and brain tissue. The healthy liver becomes fibrotic, patchy one; renal dysfunction along with nephritis, nephrosis are the common outcomes; degeneration of alveolar septa, and elastic fibres are also observed followed by breath shortening, coughing, airway obstruction, and inflammation; central nervous system attributes short term memory loss, dementia, apraxia, paraphasias, tremor, and convulsion. The review concludes that exposure of CCl4 induces the damage of several vital organs.