Carcinogenic activity in mice of diftalone, an anti-inflammatory agent

The anti-inflammatory agent diftalone was administered in the diet to male and female BALB/c mice at 300-, 600-, and 1200-ppm dose levels for 80 weeks, starting at 8 weeks of age. The animals were kept under observation until 126-128 weeks of age, when the experiment was terminated. Diftalone treatment at the highest dose was hepatotoxic and induced hepatocellular tumors in females, angiomas of the liver in males, and angiosarcomas of the liver in male and female mice. The 300- and 600-ppm dose levels were not carcinogenic. The compound was not mutagenic for Salmonella typhimurium.