Five groups of 25 Fischer 344 rats of each sex were exposed for 6 h to isopropanol vapor at 0, 500, 1500, 5000 or 10,000 ppm. Behavioral observations for 10 rats of each sex were made prior to and 1, 6, and 24 h after exposure. Motor activity was evaluated for 15 rats of each sex prior to and immediately following exposure. Exposure to isopropanol caused a spectrum of transient effects indicative of narcosis at 10,000 ppm and sedation at 5000 ppm. Prostration or severe ataxia, decreased arousal, slowed or labored respiration, decreased neuromuscular function, hypothermia and loss of reflex function were observed 1 and 6 h after exposure to 10,000 ppm isopropanol vapor. Similar, but less severe, alterations were observed in animals in the 5000 ppm exposure group 1 h after exposure. Exposure concentration-related decreases in motor activity were observed in males and females in the 5000 and 10,000 ppm groups and slight decreases in motor activity were observed in males in the 1500 ppm group. Animals in the 1500 and 5000 ppm exposure groups recovered from these motor activity effects within 5 h. Based on this study, exposure of male and female rats to isopropanol vapor produces transient, concentration-related narcosis and/or sedation at concentrations of 5000 and 10,000 ppm and minor decreases in motor activity in males at a concentration of 1500 ppm. The no-observed-effect level (NOEL) for this was 500 ppm isopropanol.
To assess the mutagenic potential of isopropanol, an in vitro Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell/HGPRT gene mutation assay and a bone marrow micronucleus study in mice were conducted. In the CHO/HGPRT assay, concentration levels ranged from 0.5 to 5.0 mg/ml. No elevated mutant frequencies attributable to treatment were observed in the test under either activated or non-activated conditions. In the micronucleus assay, mice were injected intraperitoneally (IP) with either 350, 1,173, or 2,500 mg/kg of isopropanol at constant volumes of 10 ml/kg. No increased incidence of micronuclei was observed in bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) harvested at 24, 48, or 72 hr post-dosing. In both assays, negative and positive control mutant frequencies were within historical control ranges. These results, in conjunction with previously published data, clearly demonstrate that isopropanol is not a mutagen.
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