A derivative of ascorbic acid, 2-O-octadecylascorbic acid (CV-3611), is a strong scavenger of active oxygen species. We examined the effect of CV-3611 on a short-term test of bladder carcinogenesis, using concanavalin A (Con A)-dependent agglutination of isolated bladder epithelial cells. Rats were given 0.01% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BHBN) for 1 week, and then 5% sodium saccharin or 2% DL-tryptophan or 0.01% BHBN alone or with 0.002, 0.006 or 0.02% CV-3611 for 3 weeks. Treatment with CV-3611 reduced the effects of the bladder tumor promoters sodium saccharin and DL-tryptophan by 48-86 and 65-87%, respectively. CV-3611 also reduced the number of aggregates of bladder epithelial cells from rats treated with BHBN for 4 weeks. These results suggest that CV-3611 has a suppressive effect on rat bladder carcinogenesis.