Chronic toxicity and oncogenicity studies of ethylene glycol in rats and mice

Abstract

These studies were performed to assess the chronic toxicity and oncogenicity of ethylene glycol (EG) in rats and mice. Groups of 130 Fischer 344 rats and 80 CD-1 mice per sex were fed diets yielding approximate dosages of 1.0, 0.2, or 0.04 g/kg/day of EG. Two separate control groups in each study received no EG. Mortality rate was increased in high-dose male rats all of which died by 475 days. The following effects were also observed in high dose male rats: reduced body weight gain, increased water intake, increased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, reduced erythrocyte count, reduced hematocrit and hemoglobin, increased neutrophil count, increased urine volume, reduced specific gravity and pH. Urinary calcium oxalate crystals and increased kidney weight were seen in all high-dose rats. Uric acid crystals were seen in the urine of high-dose female rats at 18 and 24 months. Histopathologic changes in high-dose male rats included tubular cell hyperplasia, tubular dilation, peritubular nephritis, parathyroid hyperplasia, and generalized soft tissue mineralization. Fatty change of the liver was seen in high- and intermediate-dose female rats. No clinical signs, or gross or microscopic evidence of toxicity was seen in mice at the dosages used. Water intake and clinical pathologic parameters were not measured in the mouse study. In these studies there was no evidence of an oncogenic effect of EG in rodents.