3-mercaptopropionic acid

Endpoint summary

Description of key information

A 28-day oral toxicity study with the methyl ester of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MMP) in rats showed only minor effects on organ weights as well as forestomach hyperplasia at the highest dose level (100 mg/kg/day). These effects are not adverse or relevant for human risk assessment. The NOAEL of MMP is equivalent to a NOAEL of 88.3 mg/kg/d for 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA).

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Toxic effect type:

dose-dependent

Repeated dose toxicity: via oral route - systemic effects

Link to relevant study records

Reference

Endpoint:

short-term repeated dose toxicity: oral

Type of information:

read-across based on grouping of substances (category approach)

Adequacy of study:

key study

Justification for type of information:

This scenario covers the category approach for which the read-across hypothesis is based on biotransformation to common compounds. For the REACH information requirement under consideration, the property investigated in studies conducted with different source substances is used to predict the property that would be observed in a study with the target substance if it were to be conducted. Similar properties are observed for the different source substances; this may include absence of effects for every member of the category.
There are differences in strength of the effect(s) forming a regular pattern. The prediction is based either on this regular pattern within the category, when the members are ordered by a variable related to the structural differences in the category or is based on a worst-case approach.
The read-across is a category approach based on the hypothesis that the substances in this category are transformed to a common compound. This approach serves to use existing data on acute toxicity, repeated-dose toxicity, and reproductive toxicity endpoints for substances in this category.
There are differences in strength of the effects forming a regular pattern. This corresponds to Scenario 3 of the RAAF. The substances MMP, BuMP, EHMP, iOMP, iC13MP, and ODMP are esters of a common acid, 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA). They are likely to be rapidly hydrolysed to 3-mercaptopropionic acid and the respective alcohol (i.e. methanol, butanol, ethylhexanol, iso-octanol, iso-tridecanol, and octadecanol). In vitro studies on hydrolysis/metabolism are planned to strengthen the hypothesis.
The observed differences in effect levels (higher effect levels with increasing carbon chain length were observed in the available acute oral toxicity studies) are assumed to be mainly due to differences in molecular weight (corrections will be made for these differences) and decreasing bioavailability with increasing carbon chain length (no corrections are made for this effect; a worst-case approach is applied here, since based on the available data no exact quantification for bioavailability differences is possible at the moment).
It can be predicted with high confidence that the substances within this category will lead to the same type of effects. The main driver for toxicity is the common compound 3-mercaptopropionic acid, whereas the alcohols do not contribute to a relevant extent to overall toxicity.
For details, please refer to the category document attached to Iuclid section 13.

Reason / purpose for cross-reference:

read-across: supporting information

Reason / purpose for cross-reference:

read-across source

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 422 (Combined Repeated Dose Toxicity Study with the Reproduction / Developmental Toxicity Screening Test)

Deviations:

no

Species:

rat

Strain:

Wistar

Sex:

male/female

Route of administration:

oral: gavage

Clinical signs:

effects observed, treatment-related

Mortality:

mortality observed, treatment-related

Body weight and weight changes:

no effects observed

Food consumption and compound intake (if feeding study):

no effects observed

Food efficiency:

no effects observed

Water consumption and compound intake (if drinking water study):

not specified

Ophthalmological findings:

not specified

Haematological findings:

no effects observed

Clinical biochemistry findings:

no effects observed

Urinalysis findings:

not specified

Behaviour (functional findings):

no effects observed

Organ weight findings including organ / body weight ratios:

effects observed, treatment-related

Gross pathological findings:

no effects observed

Histopathological findings: non-neoplastic:

no effects observed

Histopathological findings: neoplastic:

no effects observed

Dose descriptor:

NOAEL

Effect level:

>= 88 mg/kg bw/day (actual dose received)

Sex:

male/female

Basis for effect level:

other: Neither the slight forestomach hyperplasia not the liver weight increase are adverse or relevant effects.

Remarks on result:

other: correction for difference in molecular weight

Critical effects observed:

not specified

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no adverse effect observed

Dose descriptor:

NOAEL

88.3 mg/kg bw/day

Study duration:

subacute

Species:

rat

Repeated dose toxicity: inhalation - systemic effects

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no study available

Repeated dose toxicity: inhalation - local effects

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no study available

Repeated dose toxicity: dermal - systemic effects

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no study available

Repeated dose toxicity: dermal - local effects

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no study available

Additional information

No experimental data are available for the target substance 3-MPA. A Combined Repeated Dose Toxicity Study with the Reproduction/Developmental Toxicity Screening Test was conducted with MMP. A justification for read-across is attached to Iuclid section 13.

The test item was administered in corn oil as vehicle at dosages of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight/day, and controls received the vehicle only. The test item was administered to male rats for at least 28 days and to female rats for 14 days prior to pairing, through the pairing and gestation periods until the F1 generation reached day 4 post partum. Administration of 50 and 100 mg/kg/day resulted in dose-dependently increased liver weights relative to body weights and brain weights in males. In the absence of a histopathological correlation these higher weights were considered to be of no adverse character. Furthermore at 100 mg/kg/day, a minimal to slight hyperplasia of the forestomach squamous epithelium was noted in males and females. Based on these results a general NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) was established at 50 mg/kg body weight/day. The NOEL (No Observed Effect Level) for reproduction/developmental toxicity was considered to be 100 mg/kg/day.

After correcting for differences in molecular weight, the NOAEL for 3-MPA was calculated as 88 mg/kg bw/d.

A subchronic toxicity study (OECD TG 408) is required for 3-MPA. However, due to the corrosive properties of 3-MPA, testing on the substance itself is likely to produce prominent local effects to the gastrointestinal tract which may interfere with interpretation of the study. Therefore, based on the predicted ester hydrolysis (in vitro study planned), data obtained with MMP can be used to predict the toxicological properties of 3-MPA. The proposed subchronic toxicity study may be conducted with the target substance MMP.

Justification for classification or non-classification

No specific organ toxicity was noted in this study. A STOT-RE classification is not warranted.