EVALUATION OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY OF DERMALLY APPLIED MONOETHANOLAMINE IN RATS AND RABBITS

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and New Zealand White rabbits were expose d dermally to 0, 10, 25, and 75 mg/kg/day of monoethanolamine (MEA) fo r approximately 6 hr/day on Days 6 through 15 (rats) or 6 through 18 ( rabbits) of gestation. A fifth dose group of 225 mg MEA/kg/day was eva luated in rats only. Dermal exposure of pregnant rats to 225 mg/kg/day and rabbits to 75 mg/kg/day resulted in significant increases in the incidence of skin irritation/lesions and maternal body weight effects. In general, the dermal irritation observed at the high dose was progr essive, beginning with erythema and leading to necrosis, scabs, and sc ar formation. Doses of 25 mg/kg/day to rabbits produced only minor irr itation. Despite maternal effects observed in rats and rabbits, no evi dence of developmental or fetal toxicity was observed at any dose leve l tested. Thus, it was concluded that MEA was not developmentally toxi c following dermal application at exposure levels up to and including 225 mg/kg/day for rats and 75 mg/kg/day for rabbits. (C) 1996 Society of Toxicology