4-Aminosalicylic acid

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

CHEMWATCH HAZARD RATINGS Min Max Flammability: 1 Toxicity: 2 Body Contact: 2 Min/Nil=0 Low=1 Reactivity: 1 CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS 1 of 8 EMERGENCY OVERVIEW RISK Harmful if swallowed. Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin.

Potential Acute Health Effects

SWALLOWED Accidental ingestion of the material may be harmful; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 150 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual. High oral doses of salicylates, such as aspirin, may cause a mild burning pain in the throat and stomach, causing vomiting. This is followed (within hours) by deep, rapid breathing, tiredness, nausea and further vomiting, thirst and diarrhea. <\p>. EYE This material may produce eye irritation in some persons and produce eye damage 24 hours or more after instillation. Moderate inflammation may be expected with redness; conjunctivitis may occur with prolonged exposure. SKIN This material can cause inflammation of the skin oncontact in some persons. The material may accentuate any pre-existing dermatitis condition. 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. 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.

Potential chronic health

Long-term exposure to respiratory irritants may result in disease of the airways involving difficult breathing and related systemic problems. Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems. There is limited evidence that, skin contact with this product is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population. 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. <\p>. Chronic exposure to salicylates produce problems with metabolism, central system disturbances, or kidney damage. Those with pre-existing damage to the eye, skin or kidney are especially at risk. <\p>. Allergic reactions are recorded in over 5% of adults treated with the sodium p-aminosalicylate. This occurs between the second and sixth week of treatment. Fever, athralgia, lymphadenopathy, and more rarely a syndrome resembling mononucleosis may also occur. Other (apparently) allergic reactions to aminosalicylate include jaundice, liver necrosis, pancreatitis, pulmonary infiltration, encephalitis, nephritis, and renal failure. Skin rashes often take the form of macular or morbiliform exanthema. Exfoliative dermatitis is common. Blood disorders include haemolytic anaemia, agranulocytosis, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Prolonged treatment with sodium p-aminosalicylate may induce goitre and hypothyroidism resulting from interference with iodine utilisation. The p-aminophenyl (phenylamine) group formed during metabolism of aminosalicylate may provoke reaction in hypersensitive individuals (cross-sensitive) to sulfonamides, phenacetin, sulfones and to certain hair-dyes containing related compounds p-Aminosalicylic acid induces agranulocytosis of an immunological type. Exposure to small quantities may induce hypersensitivity reactions characterized by acute bronchospasm, hives (urticaria), deep dermal wheals (angioneurotic edema), running nose (rhinitis) and blurred vision . Anaphylactic shock and skin rash (non-thrombocytopenic purpura) may occur. <\p>.