An industrial solvent and a medication often used for seizures and bipolar disorder increase the activity of female hormones inside cells, which might lead to miscarriages and breast cancer in women, a new lab study suggests.The effects could be especially pronounced in women who are also taking hormones in the form of oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy.The industrial solvent is ethylene glycol methyl ether (EGME), used in the paint and semiconductor industries, while the drug is valproic acid or Depakote. Both are short-chain fatty acids."It’s not a major alarm. It’s basically another piece in the puzzle” of hormones’ effects on women, said Donald P. McDonnell, senior author of the study appearing in this week’s issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. McDonnell is a professor of pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke University School of Medicine.
