Postnatal evaluation of prenatal exposure to p-xylene in the rat.
Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to either 3500 or 7000 mg/m3 p-xylene from days 7-16 of gestation. Dams were allowed to give birth, and litters were counted, weighed, and observed for external malformations on postnatal days (PD) 1 and 3. Litters were normalized to 8 pups (4 males and 4 females +/- 1) on PD4. On PD21 animals were weaned and littermates housed by sex. Body weights were recorded weekly until weaning and once every 2 weeks thereafter. Central nervous system (CNS) development was evaluated by acoustic startle response on PD13, 17, 21, and 63 as well as figure-8 maze activity on PD22 and 65. Maternal weight gain during the treatment period was significantly less in the high-dose group. No effects were seen on litter size or weight at birth or on PD3. There were no effects of xylene exposure on growth rate. There were no treatment-related effects on acoustic startle response or figure-8 maze activity. Thus, p-xylene as administered in this study does not appear to be a selective developmental toxicant in the rat.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects; D014992:Xylenes / Q000633:toxicity*
D014992:Xylenes; C031286:4-xylene