Toxicological investigation of benzylbutylphthalate in rats

Abstract

In a study in which male rats have been exposed to 0, 200, 600, 2000, 6000 and 20000 mg benzylbutylphthalate (BBP)/kg diet for 2 weeks, body weight and liver weight and a number of enzyme parameters which are related with peroxisome proliferation (palmitoyl coenzyme-A oxidase (PCO), enoyl coenzyme-A hydratase (ECH), carnitine acetyl transferase (CAT) and lauric acid hydroxylase (LAH)) have been determined in liver homogenates. No effect has been observed on the liver weight. The body weight showed a significant decrease as the highest dose level. PCO and CAT showed no effect up to 600 mg BBP/kg diet. LAH was more sensitive with a dose-without-effect (DWE) of 200 mg BBP/kg diet, corresponding with 19.1 mg BBP/kg b.w./day. ECH appeared to be the most sensitive parameter with an effect in all dose levels used. Therefore, no overall no-observed effect level can be defined in this experiment.<br>