© 1987 Oxford University Press
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Teratologic Evaluation of 2-Phenoxyethanol in New Zealand White Rabbits following Dermal Exposure1
Mammalian and Environmental Toxicology Research Laboratory, Health and Environmental Sciences, The Dow Chemical Company Midland, Michigan 48674
Teratologic Evaluation of 2-Phenoxyethanol in New Zealand White Rabbits following Dermal Exposure. Scortichini, B. H., QUAST, J. F., and RAO, K. S. (1987). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 8, 272–279. 2-Phenoxyethanol was applied to the clipped skin of pregnant rabbits on Days 6 through 18 of gestation in order to assess the fetotoxic and teratogenic potential by the dermal route. Rabbits were treated with 0, 300, 600, or 1000 mg/kg/day of 2-phenoxyethanol, and fetuses were examined for external, visceral, and skeletal alterations. Dermal application of 1000 mg/kg/day produced maternal toxicity as evidenced by intravascular hemolysis of red blood cells and death in some animals. Maternal toxicity was observed in rabbits treated with 600 mg 2-phenoxyethanol/kg/day but at a lower incidence than that observed at 1000 mg/kg/day. Nine rabbits in the 1000 mg/kg/day dose group and five rabbits at 600 mg/kg/day died or were sacrificed in extremis. Rabbits in the two highest dose groups which survived until Day 28 of gestation showed no evidence of treatment-related effects. No signs of maternal toxicity were seen at 300 mg/kg/day. Examination of rabbit fetuses indicated that, at the dosages tested, 2-phenoxyethanol was not embryotoxic, fetotoxic, or teratogenic.