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.

[Toxicity and neutralization of venoms from Peruvian snakes of the genera Bothrops and Lachesis (Serpentes: Viperidae)]. / Toxicidad y neutralización de venenos ofídicos peruanos de los géneros Bothrops y Lachesis (Serpentes: Viperidae).

The lethal potencies (Median Lethal Dose) of the venoms of Peruvian snakes (Bothrops atrox, Bothrops barnetti, Bothrops pictus and Lachesis muta muta) were determined in mice by using intravenous and intraperitoneal routes of injection. In addition, the neutralizing ability of three antivenoms (bothropic polyvalent, bothropic bivalent and lachetic) was studied by preincubation-type experiments. B. pictus venom had the highest lethality by the intraperitoneal route whereas B. atrox venom had the highest lethality when tested by the intravenous route. The three antivenoms were effective in neutralizing lethality of the homologous venoms. Bivalent antivenom was more effective than polyvalent antivenom in the neutralization of B. pictus venom. On the basis of these findings, the use of bivalent bothropic antivenom is recommended in the Pacific coastal regions of Perú, whereas polyvalent bothropic antivenom is recommended in the oriental jungle regions of the country.