acute oral toxicity study of gal-57 (bentazon + dicamba) herbicide in rats

An acute oral toxicity study of the herbicide GAL-57 (Avalon), a mixture of bentazon and dicamba as active ingredients, was conducted to assess its acute oral toxicity to rats, using a new method that has been used in the past several years (2001). Clinical observations were performed for all animals after different time intervals, and gross necropsy was performed at termination of examination. Clinical symptoms (decreased activity, prone position, abnormal limb position, decreased righting reflex, decreased grip and limb tone, decreased body and abdominal tone and dyspnoea) from mild to marked degree were noted after administration of 2000 mg/kg. Animals were found dead 30 minutes to one hour after the treatment. GAL-57 did not cause any clinical sings at single 300 mg/kg bw dose. The physical condition and behaviour of animals were normal during the 14-day observation period. The acute oral LD-50 value of the GAL-57 proved to be between 300 and 2000 mg/kg body weight in rats and was ranked into Poison group III according to Serbian criteria, category 4 of the Global Harmonized Classification System and Category III of the EPA classification.