Oral toxicity study of 2-pentenenitrile in rats with reproductive toxicity screening test

A combined repeated-dose toxicity study with reproduction was conducted with 2-pentenenitrile (2-PN). Rats (10/sex per dose level) were dosed with 2-PN once daily by gavage at dose levels of either 0, 1, 3, or 10 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for 28 days, prior to and during cohabitation, and through day 3 of lactation. General clinical observations were recorded daily; body weights were recorded weekly. A neurobehavioral evaluation consisting of a functional observational battery and motor activity was conducted in all parental rats (10/sex per group). Clinical pathology parameters (hematology, clinical chemistry, coagulation) were measured in parental rats. Pup weights and clinical signs were recorded at birth and on lactation day 4. Parental rats were given a gross pathological examination, organ weights were obtained, and histological examination was conducted for the control and 10 mg kg(-1) day(-1) groups. No effects were seen with regard to mortality, clinical signs, functional observational battery and motor activity, hematology, or organ weights. Females receiving 10 mg/kg and males from all dose groups showed lower body weight gains and feed efficiency. Increased albumin concentrations were seen in both sexes given 10 mg/kg. Females in the 10 mg/kg group showed degeneration of the olfactory mucosa. No effects on the numbers of pups born, number surviving to lactation day 4, pup weight, and no gross anatomical development changes were observed. Under the conditions of this study, the no-observed-effect level (NOEL) for systemic toxicity in rats was 3 mg kg(-1) day(-1), based on degeneration of olfactory mucosa in females at 10 mg kg(-1) day(-1). The NOEL for reproductive and neurobehavioral toxicity in rats and for toxicity to offspring was 10 mg kg(-1) day(-1), the highest dose level tested.