title: Prenatal nicotine and CNS development.
abstract: The teratological effect of nicotine has been studied during different trimesters of pregnancy. Three groups of pregnant albino Swiss mice were used for each trimester. The daily doses of nicotine base used were equivalent to 10 (900 micrograms/kg), 20 (1,800 micrograms/kg), or 30 (2,700 micrograms/kg) cigarettes. The control groups were given normal saline. The drug and the saline solution were administered subcutaneously. The results showed that prenatal nicotine prolonged the latency and delayed the onset and extinction of audiogenic seizures in the offspring. These effects were more pronounced during the third trimester and particularly with the largest dose. These findings indicate that prenatal nicotine might delay the postnatal development of the CNS if it is given during the late stage of pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine