title: Absence of toxic effects in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice following subchronic administration of chromium picolinate monohydrate.
abstract: Chromium picolinate monohydrate (CPM) is a synthetic compound heavily marketed to consumers in the United States for use as a dietary supplement for muscle building and weight loss. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) tested the toxicity of this compound based on the potential for widespread consumer exposure and lack of information about its toxicity. Groups of 10 male and 10 female F344/N rats and B6C3F(1) mice were exposed to 0, 80, 240, 2000, 10,000, or 50,000 ppm CPM in feed for 13 weeks. CPM administration produced no effect on body weight gain or survival of rats or mice. Organ weights and organ/body weight ratios in exposed animals were generally unaffected by CPM. No compound-related changes in hematology and clinical chemistry parameters were observed. There were no histopathological lesions attributed to CPM in rats or mice.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Mail Drop EC-34, 79 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States. rhodes2@niehs.nih.gov
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hébert
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Morinello
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Roycroft
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Travlos
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Abdo
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D004971:Estrus / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D010848:Picolinic Acids; C030614:picolinic acid