METHOXYCHLOR AS A MODEL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ESTROGENS

Estrogens can have a variety of physiological effects, especially on t he reproductive system. Chemicals with estrogenic activity that are pr esent in the environment may thus be considered potentially hazardous to development and/or reproduction. Methoxychlor is one such chemical, a chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide with proestrogenic activity. Meta bolism of the chemical either in vivo or using liver microsomes produc es 2,2-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)- 1,1,1-trichloroethane (HPTE), the active estrogenic form, and the delineation of this mechanism is reviewed her ein. When administered in vivo, methoxychlor has adverse effects on fe rtility, early pregnancy, and in utero development in females as well as adverse effects on adult males such as altered social behavior foll owing prenatal exposure to methoxychlor. Effects of methoxychlor on th e female have been studied extensively, whereas reports on the chemica l's effects on males are less common. From the studies reviewed here, the reproductive toxicity of methoxychlor is evident, but the signific ance of this toxicity with respect to human health remains to be deter mined.