Carcinogenicity study of tetramethylthiuram disulfide (thiram) in F344 rats

The carcinogenic potential of tetramethylthiuram disulfide (thiram) was examined in F344 rats. Groups of 50 male and 50 female rats were given thiram in their diet at concentrations of 0.1% and 0.05% for 104 weeks. Similar numbers of male and female rats received the basal diet throughout the experiment. All surviving rats were sacrificed at week 112. The rats given the chemical at 0.1% showed reduced body weight gain, especially in females, and liver dysfunction in biochemical examination of blood in males. Histopathologically, however, no significant lesions or tumor induction attributable to the treatment were observed in any tissue except for dose-dependent reduction of spontaneous leukemia in both sexes and slightly reduced incidences of pituitary and thyroid adenomas in females. Under the present experimental conditions, thiram was not carcinogenic in F344 rats.