REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY STUDY OF A NEW ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENT, S-1 (I) : Fertility Study in Rats by Oral Administration

Abstract

S-1 is a newly developed antineoplastic agent consisting of the mixture of tegafur (FT), 5-chloro-2, 4-dihydroxypyridine (CDHP), and potassium oxonate (Oxo) in a molar ratio of 1:0.4:1. As part of a reproductive and developmental toxicity study of S-1; a fertility study was carried out in Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four male rats were administered S-1 orally starting at 64 days before mating and 24 female rats were administered S-1 orally from 15 days before mating to day 7 of pregnancy at doses of 0, 1, 4, or 7 mg/kg/day (as a dose of FT) in order to investigate the effect of S-1 on the reproductive ability and development of embryos and fetuses. There were no dose-related changes in clinical signs. Body weight gains and food consumption were decreased and were associated with the decreased weights of thymus, testis and epididymis in male rats receiving S-1 at the 7 mg/kg/day group. In females, the only organ affected was the kidney at 7 mg/kg/day. There were no dose-related changes in copulation, fertility, pre-implantation loss and implantation. Decreases in live fetal body weight and retardation of fetal ossification were observed in the 7 mg/kg/day group. There were no dose-related changes in post-implantation loss, and no fetal malformations were observed. The results suggest that the non-observed effects dose level of S-1 for general toxicity in male and female rats is 4 mg/kg/day, for reproductive toxicity in adults is more than 7 mg/kg/day, and for developmental toxicity in utero is 4 mg/kg/day.