Relative toxicity of metabolites of benzene in mice

Repeated ip administration of hydroquinone (10 mg/kg/day), benzoquinone (2 mg/kg/day) or benzenetriol (6.25 mg/kg/day) to rats for 6 weeks produced significant decreases in RBC and bone marrow cell counts and hemoglobin content, together with relative changes in organ weights. In addition, benzoquinone and benzenetriol elicited histological injuries in liver, thymus, spleen, kidney and peripheral lymph nodes which warrant further investigation.