Changes of plasma DNA contents and serum biochemical values were measured in rats administered with lead acetate to investigate the in vivo cytotoxic effects of lead and examine the usefulness of these in vivo cytotoxicity changes as indicators of lead exposure and diagnosis of lead poisoning. Rats were given once intraperitonealy with lead acetate (1.6, 8, 40 and 200 mg/kg b.w) and the changes of plasma DNA contents and serum biochemical values were measured at the time of 2, 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 hours after the administration of lead acetate. Plasma DNA contents began to increase at 2 hours after the administration of lead acetate in the treatment groups of 8, 40 and 200 mg/kg b.w dose-dependently and significantly compared with control group. These DNA increases of each dosage group were continued until 24, 48 and 72 hours and the maximum levels of DNA (4.02, 10.67 and 14.10 times of control) were arrived at 8, 8 and 4 hours after the each treatment, respectively. Among 10 serum biochemical indicators, the activities of creatine kinase were increased to maximum level (6.55 times of control) at 2 hours after the administration and remained to be significantly higher than that of control by 8 hours in the treatment group of 200 mg, however, after 48 hours, the levels in the treatment groups of 40 mg above were lower than that of control. The values of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase were higher than that of control from 2 to 24 hours in the treatment group of 200 mg. Maximum levels of these enzymes were 3.34, 3.00 and 3.19 times of control, respectively. Both of alkaline phosphatase and triglyceride values in the treatment groups were decreased compared with control. In the case of alka-line phosphatse, the values were significanly decreased from 24 hours and more severely decreased until 72 hours in the treatment groups of 40 mg above (p<0.01). The minimum value was 0.36 times of control in the 200 mg group. The values of triglyceride were significantly decreased in the tratment groups of 40 mg above (p<0.01), but the values were not different significantly among the treatment groups. This study demonstrates that plasma DNA content and serum biochemical values such as aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and triglyceride are valuable as biomarkers for exposure assessment and diagnosis of lead poisoning.