Pentaerithrityl tetranitrate

Acute Toxicity: oral

Administrative data

Endpoint:

acute toxicity: oral

Type of information:

other: Collection of data

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

4 (not assignable)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

data from handbook or collection of data

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

review article or handbook

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

1989

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Interpretation of results:

study cannot be used for classification

Executive summary:

Toxicity associated with organic nitrate exposure is generally secondary to cardiovascular effects. Symptoms of headache in munitions workers were described earlier, and weakness, dizziness, and other manifestations of cerebral ischemia associated with postural hypotension may develop. Even in the most severe cases of overdose, simple changes in position to restore venous flow to the heart is sufficient therapy (Gilman et al., 1985).

Von Oettingen et al. (1944) gave volunteers 64mg capsules orally and measured various physiologic functions for several hours. No changes occurred in respiration or blood pressure, and no increase in blood nitrite was found. When dogs were given doses of 5 mg/kg orally, a gradual, transient decrease (about 28%) in blood pressure was noted with a corresponding increase in respiratory rate and minute volume.

Von Oettingen et al. (1944) also studied the effects of 1-year administration of PETN in feed to an unspecified strain of rats. Groups of 45 rats were given either a control diet or a diet containing sufficient PETN to provide doses of 2 mg/kg body weight. No effects on body weight were noted, and deaths in both groups were attributed to parasitic infestations. Monthly blood collections tended to show slightly higher values for hemoglobin and erythrocytes in the dosed animals. Microscopic examination of the brain, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, adrenal glands, testis, and femur revealed no clear compound-related changes.