No evidence of toxicity or carcinogenicity of pentaerythritol tetranitrate given in the diet to F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice for up to two years

Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), an organic nitrate used in explosives and as a therapeutic agent for angina pectoris, were conducted by administering diets containing PETN,NF (National Formulary Grade, a 1:4 mixture of PETN and lactose) to both sexes of F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice in 14‐day, 13‐week and 2‐year studies. PETN was found to be essentially non‐toxic in 14‐day and 13‐week studies at dietary concentrations as high as 10 000 ppm; the weight gain of female rats was lower than that of controls at 5000 and 10 000 ppm in the 13‐week study. In the 13‐week studies, one in ten high‐dose female rats had an adenoma of the Zymbal gland and one in ten high‐dose female mice had a hepatocellular adenoma. Dietary concentrations chosen forthe 2‐year studies were 5000 and 10 000 ppm for male rats and male and female mice, and 1240 and 2500 ppm for female rats. Inthe 2‐year studies, there were no adverse effects on survival or body weight gains in either sex of rats or mice. No neoplastic or non‐neoplastic lesions were considered to be related clearly to PETN administration. Neoplasms of the Zymbal gland occurred at low incidences in PETN‐exposed groups of both sexes of rats inthe 2‐year study.