COMPARATIVE IN-VITRO STUDY OF THE EMBRYOTOXIC EFFECTS OF 3 GLYCOL ETHERS AND THEIR METABOLITES, THE ALKOXYACIDS

Although the teratogenic potential of some glycol ethers and their act ive metabolites, the alkoxyacids, is well known, a comparative in vitr o study of the embryotoxic potential of such compounds has not yet bee n conducted. The present study investigates the relationship between c hemical structure and embryotoxicity of three glycol ethers (methoxy-, ethoxy- and butoxyethanol) and their corresponding alkoxyacids on the development of 9.5-day-old rat embryos cultured over 48 hr. The embry otoxic activity of the alkoxyacids was found to be higher than that of the corresponding ethers. Alkoxyacid embryotoxicity decreased with in creasing length of the alkoxy chain, while the ether embryotoxicity in creased with chain length. These data emphasize the need for a good kn owledge of the metabolism of chemicals and the use of appropriate meta bolic systems for reliable evaluation of results deriving from in vitr o studies.