Carcinogenicity and toxicity tests on p-phenylenediamine in F344 rats.

p-Phenylenediamine, an intermediate of oxidative-type hair dyes, was administered to groups of male and female F344 rats in their diet. A subacute toxicity test showed that 0.4% p-phenylenediamine was very toxic to both sexes, but that 0.2, 0.1 and 0.05% p-phenylenediamine induced no remarkable toxic changes in either sex. In a chronic toxicity test 0.1 and 0.05% p-phenylenediamine were given to both sexes in their diet for 80 weeks, but no carcinogenic effects were found in either sex.