Short-term toxicity of 2-phenylpropan-1-ol (hydratropic alcohol) in rats.

Phenylpropan-1-ol was added to the diet of groups of 15 male and 15 female rats to provide intakes of 0 (control), 10, 40 or 160 mg/kg/day for 13 wk. No effects on body weight, food intake, water intake, haematology, semi-quantitative analysis of urine, renal concentration and dilution tests, serum chemistry or the histological examination could be attributed to treatment. Increased liver weights at the highest dose level in both sexes and increased kidney weights at the two highest dose levels in males were considered to be related to treatment, but in view of the lack of histological abnormalities this study did not demonstrate whether these were toxic or adaptive effects. An isolated renal mesenchymal tumour was found in the females fed the highest dose level. It is concluded that the no-effect level in this study was 10 mg/kg/day.