Carcinogenicity study of methyl hesperidin in B6C3F1 mice.

A long-term carcinogenicity study of methyl hesperidin, a compound of the vitamin P group, was carried out in B6C3F1 mice receiving dietary concentrations of 0, 1.25 or 5%. Administration was continued for 96 wk and then the mice were maintained on basal diet for an additional 8 wk. Growth retardation during the experiment with final changes in organ weights were observed in females given the 1.25% dose of methyl hesperidin and in both sexes receiving the 5.0% treatment. However, no biologically significant effects were evident with respect to mortality or clinical signs. Furthermore, treatment with methyl hesperidin did not result in any changes in haematology, clinical chemistry and urinalysis data. On histological examination, no significant alteration of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesion incidence was observed in treated mice. The results thus demonstrated that methyl hesperidin lacked any carcinogenicity for B6C3F1 mice in the 96-wk feeding regimen used in this study.