Endocrine-Mediated Effects of a Benzophenone Related Chemical, 2,3,4,4'-Tetrahydroxybenzophenone, Based on Uterotrophic Assay, Hershberger Assay, and Subacute Oral Toxicity Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the endocrine-mediated effects of a benzophenone-relative compound, 2,3,4,4’-tetrahydroxybenzophenone, based on the OECD protocols. In the uterotrophic assay, female SD rats were subcutaneously injected with the chemical at doses of 0, 100, 300, and 1,000 mg/kg on each of 3 days from postnatal day 20 to day 22, and the uterine weight of rats given the 300 and 1,000 mg/kg doses of the test chemical increased. In the Hershberger assay, the test chemical was orally administered at doses of 0, 60, 200, and 600 mg/kg/day to castrated male SD rats for 10 consecutive days beginning on postnatal day 56, and no changes were observed. On the other hand, when the test chemical was orally administered at doses 0, 60, 200, and 600 mg/kg/day for at least 28 days, serum T4 values decreased in male rats in the 600 mg/kg group. This suggests a mechanism of action related to the inhibition of thyroid peroxidase. The uterotrophic assay used in this study showed that the chemical has estrogen-agonist properties, however, estrogenic effects were not observed in a 28-day repeated-dose toxicity study. On the other hand, endocrine-mediated effects such as thyroid hormone dysfunction were detected in growing rats based on the results of the OECD test guideline No. 407.