Objective : To study the toxicity and absorption of mercury following single dose transdermal administration of Yuhong ointment containing 0.4% calomel in rabbits. Method : Twelve Japanese white rabbits

half in male or female

were divided into three groups: control group

Yuhong ointment group and 0.4% calomel group. The rabbits were given a single transdermal administration of 1.56 g·kg-1(0.039 g·cm-2

corresponding to 2-fold of the human therapeutic dose). The contents of mercury in blood and main organs were measured by HG-AAS. The serum biochemical indexes including creatinine(Cr)

BUN

AST

ALT were measured to reflex the function of liver and kidney. Result : The contents of blood mercury in the experimental groups showed no significant difference compared with control group

while the content of mercury didn’t increase obviously after single dose transdermal administration. The mercury contents of the experimental groups in liver and kidney were significantly higher than that of the control group

whereas there were no statistical significance in heart

spleen and brain. Among of the blood biochemical indexes

only ALT increased significantly in the experimental groups compared with that in the control group. Conclusion : There was little absorption of mercury and a definite accumulation of mercury in liver and kidney following single dosage transdermal administration of Yuhong ointment in rabbits.