Reproductive and neurobehavioural effects of thiabendazole administered to mice in the diet.
Thiabendazole was given in the diet to provide levels of 0 (control), 0.031, 0.125, and 0.5% from 5 weeks of age of the F0 generation to 9 weeks of age of the F1 generation in mice, and selected reproductive and neurobehavioural parameters were measured. The average litter size and weight were significantly reduced in the high-dose group at birth. No adverse effects were observed in the sex ratio at birth. The average body weight of offspring was significantly increased in the low-dose group during the late lactation period, and was significantly reduced in the high-dose group during the lactation period. In the assessment of neurobehavioural parameters, surface righting at postnatal day (PND) 7 was significantly delayed in a dose-related manner in both sexes. Swimming limb movement at PND 14 and olfactory orientation at PND 14 were significantly depressed in the high-dose group in both sexes. In movement activity at 3 weeks of age in the F1 generation, vertical time and number of defaecations were significantly decreased in the high-dose group in female offspring. Several adverse effects on reproductive and neurobehavioural parameters were produced at the highest dose level of thiabendazole used in the present study (equivalent to 700-1800 mg/kg bw/day). Slight, dose-related delays were also seen in surface-righting ability at the two lower dose levels. The lowest close level (equivalent to 50-180 mg/kg bw/day) is approximately 500 times the current acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0-0.1 mg/kg bw.
Tanaka
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Department of Toxicology, Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health, Japan. tanaka@tokyo-eiken.go.jp
D000818:Animals; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013827:Thiabendazole / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D013827:Thiabendazole