Oral toxicity of the cyclic polyethers--12-crown-4, 15-crown-5, and 18-crown-6--in mice
Hendrixson, R.R.; Mack, M.P.; Palmer, R.A.; Ottolenghi, A.; Ghirardelli, R.G.
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 44(2): 263-268
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-008X PMID: 675701 Document Number: 139027
The acute and chronic oral toxicities of a homologous series of 3 crown ethers in mice were studied. The LD50 values and the partition coefficients (octanol/water) of the compounds were determined. The LD50 values are as follows: 12-crown-4, 3.15 g/kg; 15-crown-5, 1.02 g/kg; and 18-crown-6, 0.71 g/kg. The compounds follow a general trend of increasing toxicity with increasing ring size and water solubility. There appears to be no cumulative effect of daily ingestion of small amounts (1/2 to 1/3 the LD50 value) of the compounds over a 2 wk period.