Permanent effects of prenatal exposure to diazepam on sexual behavior of male mice.

In previous work, we found effects of prenatal exposure to diazepam (DZ) on sexual behavior of adult mice. The aim of this work was to compare sexual behavior during their reproductive span of CD-1 strain male mice exposed in utero to DZ. One group of female mice was treated with DZ (2.5 mg/kg/day; s.c.) from 6th to 17th days of gestation and a control group received saline. The spontaneous offspring male sexual activity to receptive females was tested in 3 sessions (1/week) twice, on the 6th month of age and later on the 20th. Tests were performed during the dark stage of the photoperiod and video recorded under red light. During copulating stage adult DZ-treated males showed greater incidence of interruptions of intravaginal penetration, while senile DZ-treated males had lower latencies of mount series and greater proportion of ejaculations. Both adult and senile DZ-treated males exhibited a significant larger incidence of falls and pauses during mount series with intromission. Results show a permanent effect of prenatal exposure of DZ on sexual behavior.

[Teratologic effects of benzodiazepines]. / Efectos teratológicos de las benzodiazepinas.

Benzodiazepines are drugs that belong to the group of minor tranquilizers. They derive from the 1-4, benzodiazepine common nucleus that was obtained by chemical synthesis and act upon the GABA receptors increasing their affinity, thus providing them with their tranquilizing, miorelaxing, and anticonvulsant properties. Due to these characteristics they have been used in a wide variety of disorders accompanied by anxiety, hyperexitability, convulsions, and muscular hypertony, as well as during pregnancy and labor. Before using them in pregnant women, the physician should consider the conditions of the product "in uterus" since, according to experimental evidences, benzodiazepines could interfere with embryonary development, mainly with those involved in central nervous system mechanisms causing tissular alterations, retardment in cellular differentiation, and behavioral disturbances. Besides, since the fetus has lower excretion rate than that of the mother, drug concentrations are greater than the therapeutic ones and fetal tolerance to the compound, administered during the last trimester, is reduced, originating abstinence or intoxication syndromes in the newborn. It is concluded that more research is needed to evaluate all the aftereffects caused by using these drugs during pregnancy.