Musk ketone (3,5-dinitro-2,6-dimethyl-4-tert-butyl-acetophenone) was evalua
ted in an in vivo mouse micronucleus assay. Male and female mice were dosed
with 250, 500 or 1000 mg musk ketone/kg body weight by a single intraperit
oneal injection in corn oil. Results of the assay showed that under the con
ditions of this test evaluated at 24, 48 and 72 h after dosing, musk ketone
did not induce a significant increase in micronucleated polychromatic eryt
hrocytes in either male or female mice at any dose or any time period. Musk
ketone was considered to be negative in the mouse in vivo micronucleus tes
t as well as in a battery of previously published in vitro genotoxicity tes
ts. Based on the total weight of evidence available, it was concluded that
musk ketone does not have significant potential to act as a genotoxic carci
nogen. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.