Muscle necrosis in rats induced by 2-methoxy-p-phenylenediamine.

p-Phenylenediamine, together with several of its amino and alkyl derivatives, are known to be myotoxic in animals and man. In the present study, it was found that 2-methoxy-p-phenylenediamine, a component of oxidative hair dyes, similarly causes necrosis of skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius, diaphragm and tongue) in rats. The myotoxicity of 2-methoxy-p-phenylenediamine was much greater than that of p-phenylenediamine itself. This observation is consistent with the relative efficacy of these substances in disrupting mitochondrial metabolism, an effect which is believed to be responsible for the selective toxicity of p-phenylenediamine derivatives to muscle.