Short-term toxicity study of zinc dibutyldithiocarbamate in rats

Abstract

Groups of 15 male and 15 female rats were given diet containing 0 (control), 100, 500 or 2500 ppm zinc dibutyldithiocarbamate (ZnDBDTC) for 17 wk. At the highest treatment level, the rate of body-weight gain of the females and the food intake of both sexes were reduced. There were no effects attributable to ZnDBDTC in the results of the haematological examination or the analyses of serum and urine. The relative weights of the liver and kidneys were increased in rats of both sexes given 2500 ppm ZnDBDTC. There were no differences between treated and control rats in the histological appearance of any of the tissues examined. The no-untoward-effect level was 500 ppm in the diet, providing an intake between 41 and 47 mg ZnDBDTC/kg/day.