Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions01:24

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...
Drug Toxicity: Risk factors01:24

Drug Toxicity: Risk factors

Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are potential complications that arise during pharmacotherapy, influenced by multiple risk factors. Age plays a significant role; both neonates and the elderly are at heightened risk due to their respective immature and diminished metabolic and elimination processes. Gender also impacts ADRs, with females experiencing a 1.5 to 1.7-fold greater risk than males, which may be linked to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and hormonal differences. Notably, neonates, the...
Toxic Reactions: Overview01:26

Toxic Reactions: Overview

When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Drug Toxicity: Overview01:00

Drug Toxicity: Overview

Drug toxicity quantifies the harm a compound causes to an organism, varying by dose and potentially impacting whole systems or specific organs like the liver. Toxic reactions may arise from venomous insect or spider bites, with effects ranging from mild symptoms to severe outcomes such as brain damage or death. Common forms of acute poisoning include ethanol intoxication and overdose of pain or fever medications, with substances like GHB and heroin being particularly lethal at doses close to...
Toxicity Testing in Animals01:23

Toxicity Testing in Animals

Toxicity tests in animals are grounded on two main assumptions: first, the effects observed in laboratory animals can be extrapolated to humans, especially when adjusted for body surface area; second, high-dose exposure in animals is essential to identify potential human hazards from lower doses. This is based on the quantal dose-response concept, which faces the challenge of extrapolating results from relatively few test animals to much larger human populations. For example, a 0.01% incidence...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Recurrent Constellations of Embryonic Malformations (RCEM): Teratogenicity Linked to Transient Hypoxia and Hormone Pregnancy Tests Agrees With RCEM and Suggest a Reactive Oxygen Species Pathogenesis.

Birth defects research·2026
Same author

Review: Hormone Pregnancy Tests Were Teratogenic by the Same Failed Abortion and Hypoxia-Related Mechanism as Misoprostol.

Birth defects research·2025
Same author

Fetal safety of erythromycin. An update of Swedish data.

European journal of clinical pharmacology·2013
Same author

ILSI/HESI maternal toxicity workshop summary: maternal toxicity and its impact on study design and data interpretation.

Birth defects research. Part B, Developmental and reproductive toxicology·2011
Same author

New proposals for testing drugs with IKr-blocking activity to determine their teratogenic potential.

Current pharmaceutical design·2007
Same author

Polytherapy with hERG-blocking antiepileptic drugs: increased risk for embryonic cardiac arrhythmia and teratogenicity.

Birth defects research. Part A, Clinical and molecular teratology·2007

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes
03:19

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

Maternal toxicity.

Bengt R Danielsson1

  • 1Pharmanet I3, Stockholm, Sweden. BDanielsson@pharmanet.com

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 10, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Maternal toxicity in developmental toxicology studies does not explain major malformations. However, significant maternal weight loss is linked to adverse fetal outcomes, requiring careful regulatory interpretation of developmental toxicity findings.

More Related Videos

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation
17:28

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Published on: June 17, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 17, 2026

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes
03:19

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation
17:28

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Published on: June 17, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Maternal toxicity is a required endpoint in regulatory developmental toxicology studies.
  • Marked maternal toxicity can complicate the interpretation of developmental toxicity data.
  • Reduction in maternal body weight gain is a common toxicity endpoint, but others exist.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the relationship between maternal toxicity and developmental toxicity findings.
  • To address misinterpretations regarding the regulatory significance of developmental effects observed at maternally toxic doses.
  • To provide guidance on interpreting developmental toxicity when mediated by maternal pharmacological effects.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing developmental toxicology studies.
  • Analysis of discussions from maternal toxicity workshops involving regulatory agencies, academia, and industry.

Main Results:

  • Maternal toxicity (up to 15% weight loss in rats, 7% in rabbits) does not explain major malformations.
  • Substantial maternal weight reduction is associated with adverse developmental outcomes like decreased fetal weight and skeletal anomalies.
  • Developmental effects are considered relevant unless contrary mechanistic evidence is provided, even if maternal toxicity or exaggerated pharmacological effects are present.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal toxicity alone is insufficient to explain major malformations.
  • Significant maternal toxicity is a strong indicator of potential developmental toxicity.
  • Regulatory agencies consider developmental findings relevant unless robust evidence proves otherwise, regardless of maternal toxicity or mechanism.