Amastatin hydrochloride

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

CHEMWATCH HAZARD RATINGS Min Max Flammability: 1 Toxicity: 2 Body Contact: 0 Min/Nil=0 Low=1 Reactivity: 1 Moderate=2 High=3 Chronic: 2 Extreme=4 CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS EMERGENCY OVERVIEW RISK Ingestion may produce health damage*. Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect*. * (limited evidence).

Potential Acute Health Effects

SWALLOWED ■ Accidental ingestion of the material may be damaging to the health of the individual. ■ The killing action of antineoplastic drugs used for cancer chemotherapy is not selective for cancerous cells alone but affect all dividing cells. Acute side effects include loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, allergic reaction (skin rash, itch, redness, low blood pressure, unwellness and anaphylactic shock) and local irritation. Gout and renal failure can occur. EYE ■ Although the material is not thought to be an irritant (as classified by EC Directives), direct contact with the eye may cause transient discomfort characterised by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn). Slight abrasive damage may also result. The material may produce foreign body irritation in certain individuals. SKIN ■ The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects or skin irritation following contact (as classified by EC Directives using animal models). Nevertheless, good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting. ■ 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 is not thought to produce either adverse health effects or irritation of the respiratory tract following inhalation (as classified by EC Directives using animal models). Nevertheless, adverse systemic effects have been produced following exposure of animals by at least one other route and good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable control measures be used in an occupational setting. ■ 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. If prior damage to the circulatory or nervous systems has occurred or if kidney damage has been sustained, proper screenings should be conducted on individuals who may be exposed to further risk if handling and use of the material result in excessive exposures.

Potential chronic health

■ There has been some concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations but there is not enough data to make an assessment. 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. Prime symptom is breathlessness; lung shadows show on X-ray. Anti-cancer drugs used for chemotherapy can depress the bone marrow with reduction in the number of white blood cells and platelets and bleeding. Susceptibility to infections and bleeding is increased, which can be life- threatening. Digestive system effects may include inflammation of the mouth cavity, mouth ulcers, oesophagus inflammation, abdominal pain and bleeds, diarrhoea, bowel ulcers and perforation. Reversible hair loss can result and wound healing may be delayed. Long-term effects on the gonads may cause periods to stop and inhibit sperm production. Most anti-cancer drugs can potentially cause mutations and birth defects, and coupled with the effects of the suppression of the immune system, may also cause cancer.