Acute hepatotoxicity of the polycyclic musk 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4, 6-hexamethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthaline (AHTN)

Synthetic musks are present in fine fragrances, cosmetics, soaps and laundr y detergents. One of the most important synthetic musks is 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4 ,4,6-hexamethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthaline (AHTN; annual production: ab out 1500 metric tons). An increasing number of studies show that AHTN accum ulates in surface water and fish and can be detected in human adipose tissu e, as well in human milk. In the present report it is shown that a single h igh dose of AHTN leads to acute hepatic damage in rats, characterized by si ngle cell necrosis, inflammation, swelling of liver parenchymal cells, and the presence of cytoplasmic condensations in the hepatocytes, while at the ultrastructural level disorganization of the rough endoplasmic reticulum an d mitochondria as well as focal cytolysis is evident. Furthermore, evidence is presented that AHTN is not genotoxic, does not induce peroxisome prolif eration, and does not lead to the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes as phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene do. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Irela nd Ltd. All rights reserved.