A subchronic toxicity study of octyl acetate in rats.

The subchronic toxicity of octyl acetate was assessed following its administration to rats via oral gavage, 5 days per week for 13 weeks. Treated rats received undiluted octyl acetate at doses of 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 g/kg. Control rats received distilled water at a dose of 1.0 g/kg. An interim termination was made after 45 days of dosing at which time five animals per sex per group were terminated and necropsied. Blood samples were collected and liver tissues were prepared for histological examination. After 13 weeks of dosing all animals were terminated and necropsied. Blood samples were obtained and selected organs were weighed and prepared for subsequent histological examination. Several treatment-related effects were observed in the high-dose group (1.0 g/kg) animals. These effects included slight reductions in body weight and food consumption, increased liver and kidney weights, and evidence of hydrocarbon nephropathy in high-dose males only. The significance of these observations is discussed in the report. With the exception of increased liver weights in the mid-dose group, no other significant treatment-related effects were observed in the mid- or low-dose groups of animals. It is believed that the increases in liver weight which were observed are a compensatory response to an increased metabolic load, and not a reflection of true hepatotoxicity. The results of this study indicated that octyl acetate possessed an overall low degree of systemic toxicity when administered orally to rats for 13 weeks.