Teratogenicity screening in standardized chick embryo culture: effects of dexamethasone and diphenylhydantoin.
Teratogenic and toxic effects of DXM and DPH were tested using a standardized chick embryo culture. Survival, growth and malformations were scored with respect to the drug concentrations used. DXM (greater than 10(-8) mol/l) inhibited the differentiation of the extraembryonic blood circulation and induced craniofacial anomalies. DPH (greater than 1.5 10(-5) mol/l) induced cardiomegaly, craniofacial and somitic anomalies. Both drugs were lethal at 10(-3) mol/l. Comparison of results obtained with 8 drugs shows that the method has a good discriminative power and specificity and that it can be used as a simple, reliable and economical primary screening test, making it possible to reduce the use of animals in toxicological studies.
Kucera
P
P
Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Burnand
M B
MB
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000002:abnormalities; D002642:Chick Embryo; D046508:Culture Techniques; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000002:abnormalities; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000002:abnormalities; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000633:toxicity*; D012886:Skull / Q000002:abnormalities
D010672:Phenytoin; D003907:Dexamethasone