Toxicity Profile for Ethylparaben (1989)

Abstract

Ethylparaben was a skin irritant in man and an eye irritant in rabbits. It gave no evidence of sensitizing potential in a human study. The paraben esters as a generic class are rare sensitizers when applied to the intact skin of man. Application to the damaged skin is a more common cause of sensitization. A methyl:ethyl:propylparaben mixture has been shown on oral administration to exacerbate pre-existing skin complaints. A low acute oral toxicity has been demonstrated for ethylparaben in laboratory animals. Limited long-term studies in rats have also indicated a low toxicity and have generated no evidence of carcinogenic activity. No evidence of mutagenicity was reported in limited Ames bacterial tests. Chromosomal damage was induced in mammalian cells in culture, but similar effects were evidently not seen in rats treated with ethylparaben. Foetal toxicity at maternally toxic dose levels occurred in female rats treated orally during pregnancy.