[Embryo- and genotoxic effects of two endosulfan forms in the culture of rat and mouse pre- and postimplantation embryos]. / Embrio- i genotoksicheskie éffekty dvukh form éndosul'fana v kul'ture do- i postimplantatsionnykh zarodyshei krysy i myshi.

We studied embryo- and genotoxic effects of two forms (powder and microcapsular) of organochlorine insecticide and acaricide endosulfan in rat and mouse cultures of pre- and postimplantation embryos. The substance caused embryonic death, teratogenesis, and inhibited embryonic growth. Embryo cultivation in the serum obtained from the rats 1-48 h after single peritoneal introduction of highest bearable endosulfan dose allowed us to compare time pattern of the embryotoxic factors in the animal blood for the both substance forms. Microcapsular endosulfan induced much later appearance of the embryotoxic factors in the rat blood, had lower embryolethal and teratogenic effects, but prolonged the presence of pathogenic factors in the animal as compared to the powder form. We propose that embryo- and genotoxic activity of endosulfan increases in the course of its biotransformation.