Hydrazine, methylhydrazine and methylhydrazine sulfate carcinogenesis in swiss mice. failure of ammonium hydroxide to interfere in the development of tumors

Abstract

Abstract Solutions of hydrazine as 0.001%, methylhydrazine as 0.01%, methylhydrazine sulfate as 0.001%, and ammonium hydroxide as 0.3, 0.2 and 0.1% were administered continuously in the drinking water of 5‐ and 6‐week‐old randomly bred Swiss mice for their entire lifetime. Similarly ammonium hydroxide as a 0.1% solution was given to 7‐week‐old inbred C3H mice. Hydrazine and methylhydrazine sulfate significantly increased the incidence of lung tumors in Swiss mice, while methylhydrazine enhanced the development of this neoplasm by shortening its latent period. The ammonium hydroxide treatments in Swiss and C3H mice were, however, without carcinogenic effect, and did not inhibit the development of breast adenocarcinomas in C3H females, which are characteristic of these animals. The present study thus proves for the first time the carcinogenicity of methylhydrazine, provides further evidence of the tumor‐inducing capability of hydrazine by itself and negates the possibility that the metabolite of hydrazine, ammonium hydroxide, could interfere in the development ofneoplasia.