The effect of lentinan on the in utero embryonic and foetal development of the rat and on postnatal development of the F1 offspring.

Lentinan, a polysaccharide [(1 leads to 3)-beta-D-glucan], at 0.10, 1.0 or 5.0 mg/kg/day was administered i.v. to rats once daily from day 6 until, and including, day 17 of pregnancy. Some animals were killed on day 20 of gestation, others were killed on day 21 post partum. Selected animals of the F1 offspring were retained without further treatment, to provide F2 offspring. Reactions to treatment were generally dose-related and included swelling and discolouration of the pinnae, with occasional cutaneous lesions of the tail and swelling of the hind feet. Spleen weight was increased at all dosages. Litter characteristics at day 20 of pregnancy, including the incidence of abnormality, were not affected by treatment. For dams allowed to litter, mean pup weights were slightly increased, with slight acceleration of some physiological markers before weaning. There was no evidence that treatment of the F0 parents affected the reproductive performance of the F1 offspring.