Toxicological studies on malachite green: a triphenylmethane dye.

The oral LD50 for malachite green oxalate was found to be 275 mg/kg in rats while the approximate lethal dose for NMRI mice was 50 mg/kg. No systemic effects were seen after dermal application of 2,000 mg/kg. Repeated administration in the diet for 28 days to rats produced only minor changes in serum urea and aspartate aminotransferase levels. The rats at the highest dose level showed decreased weight gain and appeared clinically to have elevated motor activity. No sex differences were observed in either acute or prolonged experiments. In accord with human experience malachite green was irritating to mucous membranes, but no effects were seen on intact skin nor was it shown to be sensitizing. It was found to be a mutagen in the Salmonella/microsome test after metabolic activation but without clastogenic activity when tested at maximally tolerated levels in mice in the micronucleus test.