Acute Oral Toxicity of Nitroguanidine in Mice
Abstract
Nitroguanidine, a primary component of US Army triple-base propellants, is now produced in a Government-owned contractor-operated ammunition plant. The US Army Biomedical Research and Development Laboratory (USABRDL), as part of its mission to evaluate the environmental and health hazards of military-unique propellants generated by US Army munitions- manufacturing facilities, conducted a review of the nitroguanidine data base and identified significant gaps in the toxicity data (1). The Division of Toxicology, LAIR, was tasked by USABRDL to develop a genetic and mammalian toxicity profile for nitroguanidine, related intermediates/by-products of its manufacture, and its environmental degradation products. The acute oral toxicity of nitroguanidine was determined in male and female Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice using the oral gavage method. In males, tests at or above the LIMIT value of 5000 mg/kg produced less than 50% mortality. In females, the median lethal dose was 4345 mg/kg. Clinical signs produced by nitroguanidine were consistent with general malaise, effects on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and urogenital system, and stimulation of the central nervous system (CNS). A frequent observation was the presence of a whitish crystalline material in the urine. In a previous study, chemical analyses of a whitish crystalline material isolated from the urinary bladder of a rat administered nitroguanidine orally indicated that the crystalline material was nitroguanidine.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA194952
Entities
People
- Conrad R. Wheeler
- Don W. Korte
- Gerald F. Hiatt
- Steven K. Sano
Organizations
- Letterman Army Hospital