[Bisphenol.alkylphenols]

Bisphenol A and some alkylphenols such as p-nonylphenol and p-tert-octylphenol, have been noticed as endocrine disruptors, showing estrogenic activities. In this article, the knowledge of endocrine disrupting toxicities of these chemicals is reviewed. These chemicals induce uterus proliferation(in both immature and ovariectomized animals), disruption of estrus cycles, etc. in rodent females. They also induce decreased weights of testes and the accessory organs with the histological atrophy in the males. The lowest adverse effect level for these chemicals is approx. 10 mg/kg/day by oral administration except fetal exposure. Because there are some reports on extremely low dose toxicities by fetal exposure, further investigation is necessary to estimate the full-time safety level.