US EPA

8351 

Journal Article 

Evaluation of arsenic metabolites for prenatal effects in the hamster 

Hood, RD; Harrison, WP; Vedel, GC 

1982 

Yes 

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
ISSN: 0007-4861
EISSN: 1432-0800 

29 

6 

679-687 

English 

7159778 

10.1007/BF01606107 

WOS:A1982PV61900008 

Organoarsenicals, primarily cacodylic acid (dimethylarsinic acid), methanearsonic acid, and their salts, have been widely used as herbicides for cotton defoliation, poisoning broadleafed lawn grasses, and the like (PEOPLES et al. 1979). Cacodylate and its sodium salt have also been employed as a military herbicide in Southeast Asia in a formulation known as Agent Blue (ANONYMOUS 1981). Only since the work of LAKSO and PEOPLES (1975) and CRECELIUS (1977) has it been known that mammals, including man, metabolize inorganic arsenic by methylation. More recently, such mammalian arsenic methylation has been confirmed in humans and in a variety of other species (CHARBONNEAU et al. 1979 and 1980; ODANAKA et al. 1980; BUCHET et al. 1981; HOOD et al. 1982).

Although the parent inorganic arsenicals are known to be capable of causing adverse effects on mammalian embryos (FERM and CARPENTER 1968; HOOD 1972; HOOD and BISHOP 1972; BEAUDOIN 1974; HOOD et al. 1978; BAXLEY et al. 1981), relatively less is known about the potential of methylated arsenicals for teratogenicity and fetotoxicity. Thus, the current study was designed as part of an ongoing investigation of the metabolism and prenatal effects of arsenicals. It was performed to determine the sensitivity of the developing hamster to mono- or dimethylarsenic for comparison with other animal models and to complement studies of the metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and prenatal effects of inorganic arsenicals. 

DCN-127963; Heavy metal poisoning; Animal studies; Embryotoxicity; Medical research; Reproductive hazards; Biological effects; Teratogens; Toxicology; Comparative toxicology