3-Hydroxytyramine hydrobromide

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

CHEMWATCH HAZARD RATINGS Min Max Flammability: 1 Toxicity: 2 Body Contact: 2 Min/Nil=0 Low=1 Reactivity: 1 Moderate=2 High=3 Chronic: 3 Extreme=4 CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS EMERGENCY OVERVIEW RISK May cause SENSITISATION by skin contact. Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin.

Potential Acute Health Effects

SWALLOWED ■ Accidental ingestion of the material may be damaging to the health of the individual. ■ Phenethylamines produce effects similar to amphetamines. They excite the nervous system, causing shortness of breath, cough, narrowing of the airways and throat spasms. EYE ■ This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons. SKIN ■ This material can cause inflammation of the skin oncontact in some persons. ■ The material may accentuate any pre-existing dermatitis condition. ■ Skin contact is not thought to have harmful health effects, however the material may still produce health damage following entry through wounds, lesions or abrasions. ■ Open cuts, abraded or irritated skin should not be exposed to this material. ■ Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected. INHALED ■ The material can cause respiratory irritation in some persons. The body's response to such irritation can cause further lung damage. ■ Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be damaging to the health of the individual. ■ Persons with impaired respiratory function, airway diseases and conditions such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, may incur further disability if excessive concentrations of particulate are inhaled. ■ Inhalation exposure may cause susceptible individuals to show change in heart beat rhythm i. e. ■ Sympathomimetics, which mimic stimulation of the sympathetic nerves, causing a stimulatory effect on the heart and central nervous system, constriction of blood vessels supplying the skin and mucous membranes, dilation of blood vessels supplying muscles of movement, and widening of the airways. These drugs may act on the receptor or the release of the neurotransmitter noradrenaline. ■ Stimulating alpha-adrenergic receptors causes blood vessels to dilate, sometimes to the extent that gangrene occurs in the fingers and toes, and there is increased blood pressure. This can also cause swelling of the lungs and bleeding in the brain. ■ Stimulation of heart beta-1 adrenergic receptors may cause increased heart rate and irregularity of heartbeat, tightness and a constricting pain in the chest, palpitations and heart stoppage; low blood pressure with dizziness, fainting and flushing may also occur. Beta-1 receptors mediate the action of sympathomimetics; beta-2 receptors control dilation of the airways.

Potential chronic health

■ Long-term exposure to respiratory irritants may result in disease of the airways involving difficult breathing and related systemic problems. Skin contact with the material is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population. Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems. There is some evidence that human exposure to the material may result in developmental toxicity. This evidence is based on animal studies where effects have been observed in the absence of marked maternal toxicity, or at around the same dose levels as other toxic effects but which are not secondary non-specific consequences of the other toxic effects. Long term exposure to high dust concentrations may cause changes in lung function i.e. pneumoconiosis; caused by particles less than 0.5 micron penetrating and remaining in the lung. Chronic intoxication with ionic bromides, historically, has resulted from medical use of bromides but not from environmental or occupational exposure; depression, hallucinosis, and schizophreniform psychosis can be seen in the absence of other signs of intoxication. Bromides may also induce sedation, irritability, agitation, delirium, memory loss, confusion, disorientation, forgetfulness (aphasias), dysarthria, weakness, fatigue, vertigo, stupor, coma, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, hallucinations, an acne like rash on the face, legs and trunk, known as bronchoderma (seen in 25-30% of case involving bromide ion), and a profuse discharge from the nostrils (coryza). Ataxia and generalised hyperreflexia have also been observed. Correlation of neurologic symptoms with blood levels of bromide is inexact. The use of substances such as brompheniramine, as antihistamines, largely reflect current day usage of bromides; ionic bromides have been largely withdrawn from therapeutic use due to their toxicity. Several cases of foetal abnormalities have been described in mothers who took large doses of bromides during pregnancy. Chronic exposure to phenethylamines excite the central nervous system and induce tolerance; in extreme cases they produce amphetamine-like responses including personality changes, compulsive and stereotyped behavior and may induce psychosis with auditory and visual hallucinations and paranoid delusions. Exposure to the material for prolonged periods may cause physical defects in the developing embryo (teratogenesis). Systemic side-effects include nausea and vomiting, ectopic beats, palpitations, tachycardia, anginal pain, dypsnae and headache. Low doses may cause hypotension due to the predominance of vasoconstrictor effect. Other reported side-effects associated with infusion include bradycardia and aberrant conduction and piloerection; raised BUN has also been reported.