Ammonium mercaptoacetate

Developmental toxicity / teratogenicity

Administrative data

Endpoint:

developmental toxicity

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

guideline study

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

study report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

1998

Report date:

1998

Materials and methods

Test guideline

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 414 (Prenatal Developmental Toxicity Study)

GLP compliance:

yes

Limit test:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Ammonium mercaptoacetate

EC Number:

226-540-9

EC Name:

Ammonium mercaptoacetate

Cas Number:

5421-46-5

Molecular formula:

C2H4O2S.H3N

IUPAC Name:

ammonium 2-sulfanylacetate

Details on test material:

Test substance: Ammonium thioglycolate (71%)
Source: Merck KGaA
Batch: U1499277
Content of active ingredient: 71.5%

Test animals

Species:

rat

Strain:

Wistar

Details on test animals or test system and environmental conditions:

Strain of rats: Hsd/Cpb: WU
Source: Fa. Harlan Winkelmann GmbH, 33178 Borchert
Age: 9-10 weeks old
Acclimatization period: 6 days
Weight range at study initiation: 177-213 g Diet: Altromin Standard Diet TPF N 1234, ad libitum
Water: Tap water, ad libitum

Husbandry:
Housing: Makrolon type III cages
Illumination: artificial lighting from 6.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.
Temperature: 21-23.5°C
Relative humidity: 51-66%Vehicle: demineralized water

Administration / exposure

Route of administration:

oral: gavage

Vehicle:

water

Details on exposure:

- Rate of solution preparation: daily
- Amount of vehicle: 10 ml/kg (base on weight on GD6)

Analytical verification of doses or concentrations:

yes

Details on analytical verification of doses or concentrations:

The concentration and homogeneity of ammonium thioglycolate in preparations administred were determined once during the study, on the second day of treatment. The results showed values ranging from 96.5 % to 100 % of the nominal concentrations

Details on mating procedure:

- Groups of four sexually matures, virgin females were left over night with one stock stud.
- Proof of pregnancy: sperm in vaginal smear (GD 0)

Duration of treatment / exposure:

gestation days 6 - 19

Frequency of treatment:

daily

Duration of test:

Duration of test: 15 days - dosing GD 6 -19, animals were killed on day 20

Doses / concentrations

Doses / concentrations 1

Dose / conc.:

3 mg/kg bw/day

Doses / concentrations 2

Dose / conc.:

15 mg/kg bw/day

Doses / concentrations 3

Dose / conc.:

75 mg/kg bw/day

No. of animals per sex per dose:

25

Control animals:

yes, concurrent vehicle

Examinations

Maternal examinations:

Clinical signs including mortality and evidence of abortion were checked daily.
Body weight was determined on GD0, 6 and daily until GD20.
Food and water consumption were recorded at designated intervals during pregnancy.
On day 20 of pregnancy, females were killed. The terminal body weights of the dams were recorded. Females were examined macroscopically.

Litter parameters were recorded: number of corpora lutea, implantation sites, early and late resorptions, and dead and live foetuses.

Ovaries and uterine content:

The ovaries and uterine content was examined after termination: Yes
Examinations included:
- Gravid uterus weight: Yes
- Number of corpora lutea: Yes
- Number of implantations: Yes
- Number of early resorptions: Yes
- Number of late resorptions: Yes:

Fetal examinations:

Foetuses were weighed, sexed, and submittedto external examination. About 1/2 of them were examined for skeletal malformations and 1/2 for organ malformations.The foetus sex was determined on the base of measurment of anogenital indice and by inspection of gonads.

Statistics:

yes: Dunnett test or Fischer-Pitman permutation test

Results and discussion

Results: maternal animals

General toxicity (maternal animals)

Clinical signs:

effects observed, treatment-related

Description (incidence and severity):

see below

Mortality:

mortality observed, treatment-related

Description (incidence):

see below

Body weight and weight changes:

no effects observed

Food consumption and compound intake (if feeding study):

no effects observed

Food efficiency:

not specified

Water consumption and compound intake (if drinking water study):

no effects observed

Ophthalmological findings:

not examined

Haematological findings:

not examined

Clinical biochemistry findings:

not examined

Urinalysis findings:

not examined

Behaviour (functional findings):

not examined

Immunological findings:

not examined

Organ weight findings including organ / body weight ratios:

not examined

Gross pathological findings:

no effects observed

Neuropathological findings:

not examined

Histopathological findings: non-neoplastic:

not examined

Histopathological findings: neoplastic:

not examined

Other effects:

not specified

Details on results:

Rooting in the bedding material was seen in all rats in the high dose group. Two animals in the high dose group died on GD 20, one day after the last administration of the test material. These deaths are regarded to be treatment related.
18 to 24 rats out of 25 per group proved to be pregnant.
The body weight development, food and water consumption were not affected by treatment. The terminal body weights were similar in all groups.
The uterus weights in the high dose group were slightly, but not significantly lower than in the control or the other groups. This finding is regarded to be accidental. The numbers of corpora lutea, implantations and live foetuses were not affected.
The numbers of dead foetuses, complete, early and late resorptions were not increased. The sex distribution was not affected in any of the groups.

Maternal developmental toxicity

Number of abortions:

no effects observed

Pre- and post-implantation loss:

no effects observed

Total litter losses by resorption:

no effects observed

Early or late resorptions:

no effects observed

Dead fetuses:

no effects observed

Changes in pregnancy duration:

no effects observed

Changes in number of pregnant:

no effects observed

Other effects:

no effects observed

Effect levels (maternal animals)

1

Key result

Dose descriptor:

NOAEL

Effect level:

15 mg/kg bw/day

Based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect level:

clinical signs

mortality

2

Key result

Dose descriptor:

LOAEL

Effect level:

75 mg/kg bw/day

Based on:

test mat.

Basis for effect level:

clinical signs

mortality

Maternal abnormalities

Key result

Abnormalities:

no effects observed

Results (fetuses)

Fetal body weight changes:

no effects observed

Reduction in number of live offspring:

no effects observed

Changes in sex ratio:

no effects observed

Changes in litter size and weights:

no effects observed

Changes in postnatal survival:

not examined

External malformations:

no effects observed

Skeletal malformations:

no effects observed

Visceral malformations:

no effects observed

Other effects:

not specified

Details on embryotoxic / teratogenic effects:

The weights of the foetuses in the low, mid, and high dose groups were similar to the control and not affected by treatment. The frequency of all malformations was in a normal range and not increased.

Effect levels (fetuses)

1

Key result

Dose descriptor:

NOAEL

Effect level:

>= 75 mg/kg bw/day (actual dose received)

Based on:

test mat.

Sex:

male/female

Remarks on result:

not determinable due to absence of adverse toxic effects

2

Key result

Dose descriptor:

LOAEL

Effect level:

> 75 mg/kg bw/day (actual dose received)

Based on:

test mat.

Sex:

male/female

Remarks on result:

not determinable due to absence of adverse toxic effects

Fetal abnormalities

Key result

Abnormalities:

no effects observed

Overall developmental toxicity

Key result

Developmental effects observed:

no

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

The doses of 3 and 15 mg ammonium thioglycolate/kg were systemically tolerated by the rats.
At dose level of 75 mg/kg, two dams died on GD 20. Rooting in the bedding material had been seen, but no maternotoxic effects.
The no observed effect level (NOEL) for embryo-fetal toxicity was 75 mg/kg.
No teratogenic effects were observed.

Executive summary:

The potential of ammonium mercaptoacetate to induce developmental toxicity after maternal exposure during the critical period of organogenesis was evaluated in rat according to OECD Guideline N° 414 (22nd January 2001) and in compliance with Good Laboratory Practices.

Ammonium mercaptoacetate was administered orally by gavage to four groups of 25 bred female Sprague-Dawley rats once daily from gestation days 6 through 19. Dosage levels were 0, 3, 15, and 75 mg/kg/d.

The fetuses were delivered by caesarean section on GD 20 and examined for macroscopic malformations. About 1/2 of them were examined for skeletal malformations and 1/2 for organ malformations. Clinical signs including mortality and evidence of abortion were checked daily. Body weight was determined on GD0, 6 and the daily until GD20. Food and water consumption was recorded at designated intervals during pregnancy. On day 20 of pregnancy, females were killed. The terminal body weights of the dams were recorded. The gravid uterus was weighed and foetuses removed by hysterectormy. Females were examined macroscopically.

The doses of 3 and 15 mg ammonium thioglycolate/kg were systemically tolerated by the rats. All animals in the low and medium level dose group survived to the scheduled necropsy. At the dose level of 75 mg/kg, two dams died on GD20, one day after the last administration of test material. These death were considered treatment related. At this dose level, rooting in the bedding material had been seen in all rats, but no maternotoxic effects. No treatment related internal findings were observed at any dose level. No clinical signs that could be attributed to ammonium mercaptoacetate were observed in the treated groups. Body weight and food consumption were not affected by treatment. Intrauterine growth and survival were unaffected by ammonium mercaptoacetate administration at all dose levels. Any significant or relevant foetal external, soft tissue and skeletal malformations were observed at any dose level. The developmental variations expressed in the treated groups were generally similar to those present in the control group or occurred in a manner that was not dose related. No teratogenic effects were observed

Under these experimental conditions, the No-Observed-Adverse-Effect-Level (NOAEL) was 15 mg/kg/d for maternal toxicity. A NOAEL has been determined at 75 mg/kg/d for embryo-foetal toxicity.