Toxicology and carcinogenesis study of triclosan administered dermally to B6C3F1/N mice.

Triclosan is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent to which humans are widely exposed. Very limited data are available regarding the dermal toxicity and the carcinogenic potential of triclosan. In this study, groups of 48 male and 48 female B6C3F1/N mice were untreated or were dermally administered 0 (vehicle), 1.25, 2.7, 5.8, or 12.5 mg triclosan/kg body weight/day (mg/kg/day) in 95% ethanol, 7 days per week for 2 years. Vehicle control animals received 95% ethanol only; untreated, naive control mice were not dosed. There were no significant differences in survival among the groups. The highest dose of triclosan decreased the body weights of mice in both sexes, but the decrease was ≤8%. (Abstract Abridged).