[Difference in the sensitivity of the hamster and the rat to the effects of long-term administration of ethylenethiourea].

Rats and hamsters were fed ETU at levels of 0, 5, 17, 60, 200 mg/kg in the diet. Body weights, food consumption, seric enzyme activities (GPT, alkaline phosphatase), hepatic enzyme activities (GPT, alkaline phosphatase G6PDH), cholesterolemia, thyroid weight and others organs, histology were the criteria studied. ETU was found causing hypercholesterolemia for the 2 species at 5 mg/kg dietary levels. Thyroid impairement is predominant in rat and hepatic impairment is predominant in hamster. ETU was found to be not carcinogenic for hamsters even at 200 mg/kg level and carcinogenic for rats at 60 mg/kg level for males and 200 mg/kg level for females.