Toxic and teratogenic effects of azadirachtin of neemix-4.5 on fetuses and pups of SWR/J mice

ABSTRACT

Inbred normal adult SWR/J mice were used to evaluate the toxic and teratogenic short- and long term effects of various dose levels [0.9, 1.8, 3.0, 9.0, 45.0, which represent 1/100, 1/50, 1/30, 1/10, 1/2 LD50, respectively] of azadirachtin of neemix-4.5 [insecticide product]on fetuses and pups of pregnant females. The oral administration of the different dose levels of azadirachtin on days 7-12 of gestation or on a 80-day period has not produced any morphological or skeletal changes in fetuses and pups of SWR/J mice. As the pharmacokinetics of azadirachtin and its bioavailability to the fetus are unknown, the essentially negative results obtained in the present study may be due either to the lack of toxic potential or to lack of fetal exposure