Behavioral Effects of Hydroxyurea Exposure during Organogenetic Period of Rats

Abstract

Hydroxyurea (HU) was intraperitoneally administered to pregnant Wistar rats at a dose of 25, 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg/day during the organogenetic period (days 9 to 12 of gestation). utters from these dams were observed for their morphological and behavioral development. Eye abnormalities and dilated ventricles were found in the offspring of the 25-200 mg/kg/day groups. The development of the female righting reflex at 2 days of age in the 25 mg/kg/day group and the male free fall reflex in the 100 and 200 mg/kg/day groups was delayed. The number of rearing observed in the open field test was increased in the female group treated with 100 mg/kg/day of HU. No inhibition of rotorod performance was observed in all treated groups. The acquisition rate of conditioned avoidance response was not influenced by HU treatment. These findings suggested that under the present experimental conditions, HU induced both morphological abnormalities and behavioral disturbances in a wide dose range and that there was little difference between doses producing behavioral disturbances and morphological anomalies.