Toxicity Studies of Formaldehyde Monomethylhydrazone

Abstract : The toxicity of formaldehyde monomethylhydrazone (FMH) has been studied. The LD50 of FMH in the mouse was 42 mg/kg. Signs of acute toxicity were tremors and violent convulsions. Pyridoxine effectively prevented these convulsions. Reaction of FMH and DMBA appears similar to monomethylhydrazine (MMH) suggesting past errors in quantitating MMH using the spectrophotometric method. The high dose group (20 mg/kg) of mice in the short term toxicity study had an elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT) but did not develop demonstratable histopathologic lesions involving the liver.