title: Teratogenicity of carbamazepine in rats.
abstract: The teratogenicity of carbamazepine (CBZ) was investigated in Sprague-Dawley CD rats at doses of 0, 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg administered by gavage in corn oil on days 7-18 of gestation in a dosage volume of 2 ml/kg. The CBZ-600 dose was maternally toxic in that dams in this group weighed 30.6% less than controls by E20. This group had significantly increased resorptions, reduced live fetal weight (51.6% less than controls), and increased skeletal and visceral abnormalities. The CBZ-400 dose also significantly reduced maternal weight gain during gestation to 26.6% less than controls by E20. No significant increase in resorptions occurred in this group; live fetuses weighted 42.9% less than controls and showed an increase in visceral, but not skeletal, abnormalities. The CBZ-200 dose did not significantly affect maternal weight gain or increase resorptions or fetal abnormalities but did reduce fetal body weight (20.3% less than controls). Maternal serum total CBZ concentrations 1 hr after the final dose were 22.9, 27.9, and 34.4 micrograms/ml for the 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg groups, respectively. These levels were little changed 6 h post-treatment. CBZ was 65-70% serum protein bound across dose groups. Human therapeutic levels of CBZ are 4-12 micrograms/ml and the drug is typically 80% serum protein bound. This suggests that abnormalities in rats occur at concentrations well above the human therapeutic range. However, a no-effect level was not found for fetal body weight. Further experiments will be required to determine how much lower doses will need to be in order to find a no-effect level for fetal body weight. Nevertheless, the present data suggest that CBZ is not potent at inducing malformations in rats.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Developmental Research, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229.
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Vorhees
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Acuff
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Weisenburger
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Minck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013723:Teratogens
chemical_list: D013723:Teratogens; D002220:Carbamazepine