Multi-organ cancer was induced in rats by application of 100 mg/kg of body weight diethylnitrosamine intraperitoneal injection, 4 times intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg of body weight N-methylnitrosourea, 4 times subcutaneous injection of 40 mg/kg of body weight dimethylhydrazine, 0.05% oral N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine in the drinking water for the first 2 weeks and 0.1% oral 2,2'-dihydroxy-di-n-propylnitrosamine in the drinking water for the next 2 weeks. Starting 3 days after completion of these carcinogen treatments animals were given diets containing 2% butylated hydroxyanisole, 0.8% catechol, 2% 3-methoxycatechol, or basal diet either alone or in combination with 0.3% sodium nitrite until week 28 when a complete autopsy was performed. The combination of NaNO2 with 3-methoxycatechol inhibited glandular stomach lesions with or without carcinogen exposure. However, 3-Methoxycatechol promoted esophageal carcinogenesis either with or without NaNO2.

Hepatocytes were isolated from rats by collagenase perfusion of the liver. Isolated hepatocytes were suspended in Krebs-Henseleit buffer (pH 7.4) containing HEPES (12.5 mM) in continuous rotation at 37 deg-C under a 5% CO2 atmosphere. After 30 min an aliquot of 3-methoxycatechol was added and the hepatocytes were incubated for another 2 hours. The concentration at which the compound caused 50% cell death was determined by counting the number of cells that excluded trypan blue. 3-methoxychatechol demonstrated an LD50 of 240 micro-M after 2 hours.