Short-term toxicity of amyl cinnamic aldehyde in rats

Abstract

Amyl cinnamic aldehyde was fed to rats at dietary levels of 0 (control), 80, 400 or 4000 ppm for 14 wk. No diiferences from controls were seen in the rate of body-weight gain, the consumption of food and water, haematological measurements, serum analyses, urinary cell excretion or renal concentration tests. There were increases in the relative liver and kidney weights of rats fed the highest dietary level, but these were not associated with any histopathological changes. One female rat at each of the two lower dietary levels developed small mammary adenomas, which were thought to be spontaneous. The histopathological changes found were related to the presence of a mild infection rather than to treatment with amyl cinnamic aldehyde. The no-untoward-effect level in this study was 400 ppm (approximately 23 mg/kg/day in males and 36 mg/kg/day in females). This is 500 times the likely maximum intake in man.