THE CHRONIC TOXICITY OF CELLULOSE ACETATE PHTHALATE IN RATS AND DOGS

¹ From the Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Rochester, Rochester, New York

1. Four groups of 20 female rats each were fed 0, 5, 20 and 30 per cent cellulose acetate phthalate, respectively, for a period of one year. The rats on high intakes of cellulose acetate phthalate showed a reduction in growth rate which increased with the dosage. On autopsy, the rats were in good condition and no abnormalities were observed save that the average stomach weight tended to increase with higher doses of cellulose acetate phthalate. From histological examinations, no consistent pathological changes were demonstrated. High doses of cellulose acetate phthalate in the diet tended to produce a mucilaginous character of the material in the intestinal lumen. From these observations it is concluded that high levels of cellulose acetate phthalate in the diet of rats interfere quantitatively and mechanically with the absorption of food. No toxic action of cellulose acetate phthalate has been found in rats.

2. Three groups of 2 dogs each were fed 1, 4 and 16 gm., respectively, of cellulose acetate phthalate during a period of one year. The dogs remained in excellent health and condition throughout the experiment and no consistent pathological changes were discovered at autopsy. There is no evidence of any toxic effects of cellulose acetate phthalate under these conditions.