Toxic effects of deltamethrin on the pregnant rats and their fetuses

ABSTRACT

Deltamethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide that kills on contact and through digestion. It is used in the environmental health market. The widespread domestic use of household mosquito killers has drawn our attention to study their effects on the development of some laboratory animals. Deltamethrin was given daily by oral intubation in the form of emulsifiable concentrates [5%] at three dose levels 1/100, 1/40 and 1/20 of LD50/day [5.35, 13.38 and 26.75 mg/kg/day] from 8[th] to 16[th] day of gestation and from 1[st] to 20[th] day of gestation. T he obtained results showed decrease in maternal body weight gain during pregnancy, lethargy in their movement, increase in abortion rate and a decrease in maternal uterine weight. The effects of deltamethrin on the fetuses were high percentage of resorption, growth retardation, hematoma, paralysis in both limbs and growth retardation of their skeletal elements and some skeletal malformation