Evaluation of reproductive disorders in female rats exposed to N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.
BACKGROUND
N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is a solvent used in the petrochemical, and electronic industries, in pesticides production, veterinary drugs, and paint removers. The aim of study was to evaluate the relationship between the dose of NMP given orally and its effect on fertility in female rats and early development of their progeny.


METHODS
Females were exposed by gavage 5 days/week to NMP at 150, 450, or 1000 mg/kg/day 2 weeks before mating, during mating, gestation, and lactation. On the first postnatal day (PND 1), the live and dead pups were counted, weighed, and gender was determined. On PND 4, the litters were culled to eight animals each and balanced for gender. Young animals were observed during 3 weeks after birth.


CONCLUSIONS
Fertility index did not significantly differ in the control and the group exposed at 150 mg/kg/day but it was significantly lower in the groups exposed at 450 or 1000 mg/kg/day. The number of live pups in the group exposed to the highest dose was significantly lower and the number of stillbirths in litters was significantly greater. Survival of the pups from all exposed groups during the 3 weeks after birth was significantly lower than the control animals. The results of our study indicate that intragastric exposure of female rats to NMP before pregnancy during gestation causes significant impairment in female fertility and intrauterine mortality rates. At lower doses, toxic or slightly toxic to the mothers, this substance causes decrease in viability and physical development of progeny.
Department of Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland. ksitarek@imp.lodz.pl
Krystyna
K
Sitarek
Jan
J
Stetkiewicz
Wojciech
W
Wąsowicz
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000473:pathology*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
D011760:Pyrrolidinones; C038678:N-methylpyrrolidone