Lack of oestrogenic effects of food preservatives (parabens) in uterotrophic assays.
The oestrogenic activity of the parabens, methyl-, ethyl- and propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, widely used as antimicrobials in food, and butyl p-hydroxybenzoate, which is used in cosmetic products, and their shared main metabolite p-hydroxybenzoic acid was investigated in a mouse uterotrophic assay. Immature B6D2F1 mice were treated with oral or subcutaneous doses of the test compounds for three consecutive days. p-Hydroxybenzoic acid and butyl p-hydroxybenzoate were also tested by the subcutaneous route in a rat uterotrophic assay. A significant increase in the uterus weight at day 4 was considered an oestrogenic effect. In the mouse assay, none of the compounds tested produced any oestrogenic response at dose levels up to 100mg/kg body weight per day, for ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate even at a dose level of 1000mg/kg body weight per day. In immature Wistar rats, subcutaneous administration of butyl p-hydroxybenzoate produced a weak oestrogenic response at 600mg/kg body weight per day.
Hossaini
A
A
Institute of Food Safety and Toxicology, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Morkhoj Bygade 19, 2860 Soborg, Denmark. ALH@VFD.DK
Larsen
J J
JJ
Larsen
J C
JC
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010226:Parabens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013045:Species Specificity; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects*
D005520:Food Preservatives; D010226:Parabens