Teratogenicity of Adenine in the Rat Embryo

The pregnant female rats were treated i. p. with a single dose of adenine at 300 or 350 mg/kg once during major organogenesis of the embryo. Near-term fetuses were examined for external, internal and skeletal malformations and the followings were resulted.(1) Fetal resorption was increased when 300 mg/kg of the compound was treated on day 9 or 14 of gestation.(2) Body weight of live fetuses was lowered in all the groups treated at 300 mg/kg.(3) The fetuses with digital malformations were found with significantly high frequency in group treated at 300 mg/kg on day 14 of gestation.(4) Significantly high frequency of the fetuses with internal malformations was resulted by treatment at 300 mg/kg on day 8,9,10,12 or 13 of gestation.(5) Significantly high frequency of skeletal malformations was shown in all the treated groups except group treated on day 15 of gestation.(6) With such indices as fetal resorption, body weight, external, internal and skeletal malformations, a dose effect relation was clearly shown in groups treated on day 10 or 14 of gestation.(7) Less embryopathic effects of adenine was shown in the rats compared to the mice treated with its lower dosage.