International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Summaries & Evaluations
AGARITINE
VOL.: 31 (1983) (p. 63)
CAS No.: 2757-90-6
Chem. Abstr. Name: L-Glutamic acid,5-[2-[4-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]hydrazide]
5. Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation
5.1 Experimental data
Agaritine was tested for carcinogenicity in mice by
administration in the drinking-water; no increase in the incidence of
tumours was observed. N'-Acetyl-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenylhydrazine (a
stable derivative of the hydrolysis product of agaritine) was tested
in one experiment in mice by administration in the drinking-water,
producing increased incidences of lung tumours and of blood-vessel
tumours. 4-(Hydroxymethyl)benzenediazonium ion tetrafluoroborate
(another stabilized hydrolysis product of agaritine) was tested in
mice by subcutaneous injection, increasing the incidence of
fibrosarcomas and of skin papillomas and carcinomas at the injection
site.
Agaritine was weakly mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium. The
data were inadequate to evaluate the activity of agaritine in
short-term tests.
No data were available to evaluate the teratogenicity of
agaritine to experimental animals.
N.B. - Subsequent to the meeting, the Secretariat became aware of a study
in which 4-(hydroxymethyl)benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate was
administered to Swiss mice as a single intragastric instillation of
400 mg/kg bw, producing glandular stomach tumours (Toth et al., 1982).
5.2 Human data
Agaritine is a natural substance found in several mushrooms of
the Agaricus species, which are eaten both raw and cooked in many
parts of the world.
No data were available to evaluate the teratogenicity or
chromosomal effects of this compound in humans.
No case report or epidemiological study of the carcinogenicity of
agaritine was available to the Working Group.
5.3 Evaluation
The results of one experiment in mice do not provide evidence of
carcinogenicity of agaritine to experimental animals. There is
limited evidence of the carcinogenicity of derivatives of two fungal
metabolites of agaritine in experimental animals. In the absence of
epidemiological data, no evaluation of the carcinogenicity of
agaritine to humans could be made.
For definition of the italicized terms, see Preamble Evaluation.
Subsequent evaluation: Suppl. 7 (1987) (p. 56: Group 3)
Synonyms
- b-N-[g-L(+)glutamyl]4-hydroxymethylphenylhydrazine
Last updated: 16 April 1998