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EC number: 204-317-7 | CAS number: 119-36-8
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data

Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Description of key information
A number of studies have been published on the acute toxicity of methyl salicylate by the oral, dermal and inhalation routes in several species. For oral toxicity, a pre-GLP study in rats (Rel. 2) by Jenner (1964) has been chosen as key study. The oral LD50 values from other sources, most of which are secondary references (Rel. 4), are consistent with the key study and are submitted on a weight of evidence basis.
No single reliable study is available for dermal toxicity, however data from two secondary references (Rel. 4) are submitted on a weight of evidence basis to fulfil this endpoint.
No fully reliable acute toxicity study is available for inhalation toxicity. This endpoint is fulfilled on a weight of evidence basis, using primarily a sub-acute inhalation study of Rel. 2 (Gage, 1970) reported in section 7.5.3. A secondary reference to three acute studies of unknown duration (Rumyantsev, 1992, Rel. 4) and a limited report (Bio-Fax, 1971, Rel. 3) of a one-hour inhalation study on the primary metabolite SA also support the conclusion that MeS is not hazardous by inhalation.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Acute toxicity: via oral route
Endpoint conclusion
- Dose descriptor:
- LD50
- Value:
- 887 mg/kg bw
Additional information
The key study (Jenner, 1964) reports oral LD50 887 mg/kg. Other reported values range from 580 to 2800 mg/kg for rat, mouse, rabbit, guinea pig and dog, as summarised in the table below. These LD50 values indicate that methyl salicylate is of moderate toxicity by the oral route.
Acute Oral Toxicity Studies on methyl salicylate
Species |
LD50 (mg/kg) |
Reference |
Rel. |
Rat |
887 |
Jenner, 1964 |
2 |
Rat |
2820 |
RIFM, 1982 |
2 |
Rat |
1220 (m) / 1060 (f) |
Rumyantsev, 1992 |
4 |
Rat |
1250 |
Giroux, 1954 |
4 |
Mouse |
1390 |
Ohsumi, 1984 |
4 |
Mouse |
580 |
Rumyantsev, 1992 |
4 |
Mouse |
1100 |
Davison, 1961 |
3 |
Rabbit |
1300 |
Castagnou, 1952 |
4 |
Rabbit |
2800 |
Fassett, 1963 |
4 |
Rabbit |
2800 |
Rumyantsev, 1992 |
4 |
Guinea pig |
700 |
Rumyantsev, 1992 |
4 |
Guinea pig |
1060 |
Jenner, 1964 |
2 |
Dog |
2100 |
Bisesi, 1994 |
4 |
Dermal Toxicity
Two of the three dermal toxicity studies (Bisesi, 1994; Moreno, 1973) report a dermal LD50 value >2000 mg/kg in rat and rabbit as summarised in the table below. The data from these studies have been used to assess this endpoint. By weight of evidence, the dermal toxicity of MeS is considered to be low.
Acute Dermal Toxicity Studies on methyl salicylate
Species |
LD50 (mg/kg) |
Reference |
Rel. |
Rat |
> 2500 |
Bisesi, 1994 |
4 |
Rabbit |
> 5000 |
Moreno, 1973 |
4 |
Guinea pig |
700 |
Bisesi, 1994 |
4 |
Inhalation Toxicity
Three acute inhalation toxicity studies on MeS (Rumyantsev et al, 1992) report no mortality at concentrations up to 400 mg/m3in rat and mouse as summarised in the table below, however no exposure period was reported. A 1-hour inhalation study (Bio-Fax, 1971) on SA, the principal metabolite, also indicates low acute toxicity. Since these studies are not sufficient to conclude that no classification is required for acute inhalation toxicity, the key study chosen for this endpoint is sub-acute study (Gage, 1970), where rats were exposed to MeS at an almost saturated concentration of 700 mg/m3for 7 hours per day for 5 days per week for 4 weeks. No adverse effects were reported and it is concluded that MeS is of low toxicity by inhalation.
Inhalation Toxicity Studies on methyl salicylate
Species |
LC50 (mg/m3) |
Duration |
Reference |
Rel. |
Rat |
> 400 |
Unknown |
Rumyantsev, 1992 |
4 |
Rat |
> 114 |
Unknown |
Rumyantsev, 1992 |
4 |
Mouse |
> 400 |
Unknown |
Rumyantsev, 1992 |
4 |
Rat (SA) |
> 900 |
1h |
BioFax, 1971 |
3 |
Rat |
> 700 (almost saturated atmosphere) |
7h/d, 5d/wk/4-week |
Gage, 1970 |
2 |
Justification for classification or non-classification
Acute Oral Toxicity:
Methyl salicylate oral LD50 (rat): 887 mg/kg
The limit values for classification of a substance as harmful on acute exposure by the oral route are:
EU DSD (Xn, R22): 200-2000mg/kg
UN/EU GHS (Acute toxicity Cat. 4): 300-2000mg/kg
Methyl salicylate should therefore be classified as Harmful for acute oral toxicity:
EU DSD: Xn, R22
UN/EU GHS Acute toxicity Cat. 4, H302
Acute Dermal Toxicity:
Methyl salicylate dermal LD50 (rat): >2000 mg/kg
The limit values for classification of a substance as harmful on acute exposure by the dermal route are:
EU DSD (Xn, R22): 400-2000mg/kg
UN/EU GHS (Acute toxicity Cat. 4): 1000-2000 mg/kg
Methyl salicylate should therefore not be classified for acute dermal toxicity according to the criteria of EU DSD or EU GHS
Acute Inhalation Toxicity:
The absence of any adverse effects from repeated exposure to MeS vapour at 0.7 mg/l (almost saturated atmosphere) for 7 hours per day 5 days per week for 4 weeks supports a conclusion that classification for acute inhalation toxicity is not required according to the criteria of EU DSD or UN/EU GHS.
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