Effect of diphenylguanidine on development of mouse fetuses.

In this investigation of the effects of diphenylguanidine (DPG) on pregnancy and fetuses, pregnant mice of the ICR-JCL strain were given dPG orally in a 0.5 percent carboxymethyl cellulose suspension in doses of 0.25, 1.0, 4.0, or 10.0 mg/kg of body weight/day throughout pregnancy. Control mice were fed the vehicle alone. On day 18 of pregnancy, all mice were killed and the fetuses were examined. Disturbances in implantation were seen in the mothers treated with 10 mg/kg/day (the highest dose) of DPG. Retarded ossification of the talus was seen in the fetuses of mothers treated with 4.0 mg/kg/day, but there was no dose-response relationship to this finding. Although malformations such as open eyelids or polydactyly were seen sporadically, these were categorized as spontaneous anomalies. Thus, DPG seems to have no detrimental effects on the development of mouse fetuses in doses of 4 mg/kg or less.