Subchronic Oral Toxicity of Ethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether in Male Rats

Subchronic Oral Toxicity of Ethylene Glycol Monobutyl Etherin Male Rats. KRASAVAGE, W. J. (1986). Fundam Appl. Toxicol.6, 349–355. Adult male rats (Crl:COBS CD (SD)BR) weregiven undiluted ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EGBE) by gavagein doses of 222, 443, or 885 mg/kg/day, 5 days/week over a 6-weekperiod. A dose-dependent decrease, which was statistically significantat the high dose, was seen in body weight gain. Feed consumptionwas also significantly reduced at the 885-mg/kg dose. The mostsignificant toxic effects produced by EGBE were on the red bloodcells including a significant dose-dependent decrease in hemoglobinconcentration. red blood cell counts, and mean corpuscular hemoglobinconcentration. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscularvolume were increased at all dose levels. Effects secondaryto the red cell effects included increased spleen weights, spleniccongestion, and hemosiderin accumulation in the liver and kidneys.Relative liver weights and serum alkaline phosphatase (443-and 885-mg/kg doses) and serum alanine aminotransferase (885-mg/kgdose) levels were increased. Glucose was significantly reducedin the animals given 885 mg/kg/day. EGBE had no adverse effectson the testes, bone marrow, thymus, or white blood cells.