Studies of the Toxicological Potential of Capsinoids: VIII. A 13-Week Toxicity Study of Commercial-Grade Dihydrocapsiate in Rats

Dihydrocapsiate, (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl 8-methylnona- noate; CAS No. 205687-03-2) is a naturally occurring capsinoid compound found in nonpungent chili peppers. Although the safety of synthetically produced dihydrocapsiate has been previously evaluated, the purpose of this 13-week gavage toxicity study is to evaluate dihydrocapsiate produced with a slightly modified manufacturing process. Sprague-Dawley rats, 10 rats/sex/group, 6 weeks of age at study initiation, were administered the dihydrocapsiate daily by gavage at dose levels of 0 (vehicle), 100, 300, or 1000 mg/kg/day. The rats were observed for antimortem and postmortem signs of toxicity, including changes in clinical signs, body weights, food consumption, water intake, ophthalmology, clinical pathology (clinical chemistry, hematology, urinalysis), tissue findings (macroscopic and microscopic examination), as well as organ weights. There were no changes observed in clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, water intake, ophthalmology, urinalysis, hematology, or blood chemistry that were attributable to the administration of dihydrocapsiate. The only change observed attributable to the dihydrocapsiate administration involved the liver and that change occurred only at the high dose (1000 mg/kg). Both sexes had an increase in organ weights, but this increase correlated with a change in histopathology (i.e., hepatocyte hypertrophy) only in the males. No dihydrocapsiate-related histopathological changes were observed in males at doses < or = 300 mg/kg or in females at any of the doses tested (< or = 1000 mg/kg). It was concluded that the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of dihydrocapsiate was 300 mg/kg/day for male rats and 1000 mg/kg/day for female rats in this 13 week gavage study.