No data were available to the Working Group. It was also tested in mice by skin application. No carcinogenic effect was observed in these experiments. In several experiments in rats and hamsters, resorcinol was tested for promoting activity after initiation by known carcinogens. It did not enhance the incidence of tumours of the bladder, forestomach, liver or kidney.
Resorcinol is water-soluble and readily conjugated and eliminated.
The chemical has no known potential for formation of electrophilic reactive intermediates comparable to those derived from the other dihydroxybenzenes. No epidemiological data relevant to the carcinogenicity of resorcinol were available. There is inadequate evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of resorcinol. For definition of the italicized terms, see Preamble Evaluation .