Assessment of Developmental Toxic Effects in Rats Exposed to Oxfendazole Prenatally

Abstract

Pregnant albino rats were treated with oxfendazole at doses(7, 5, 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg, orally) during organogenesis (on day 6-15 of pregnancy) which produced dose- dependent embryotoxicity. The doses of (30 and 60 mg/kg)caused a high percentage of resorption of embryos (83,33% and 100%), respectively, as well as the dose of (30) mg/kg a significant decreased in the numbers, weights and lenghs of fetuses, and placental weights and diameters. Whereas the dose of (7,5) mg/kg did , not produced embryotoxic effects. The effects of oxfendazole on pregnant rats of a dose (60) mg/kg (orally) on differents stages of gestation: preimplantation, organogenesis and histogenesis and function maturation were depend on the stage of embryonic development. The effects were high on the stage of organogenesis where oxfendazole caused full resorption of embryos. While the effect of oxfendazole on 3 rd stage of gestation manifested by significant decreased in the weights and lengths of fetuses. Pregnant rats were treated with oxfendazole at doses(15 and 30) mg/kg (orally) during organogenesis significantly increased the percentage of neonatal mortality on postnatal day (PND1) (36%, 95%) respectively, these effects were dose dependent, as well as oxfendazole at dose (30) mg/kg caused significant decreased in the litter size, the body weight of the progeny (PND1), as sharply reduced the percentage of survival of the pups to weaning to (0%) on the (PND2). The doses at (15and 30) mg/kg were teratogenic causing extermal anomalies (tail deformity) were found in 1 offspring of each group.