Inhibitory effect of chlorpromazine on rat reproduction: a two week administration test before mating

The effect of chlorpromazine (CPZ) administration before mating on reproduction was studied using male and female Sprague Dawley strain rats, and was evaluated over three generations. CPZ in dose of 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg was orally administered to both male and female rats (F0 generation) every day for 2 weeks before mating with the following results: 1) The incidence of insemination and pregnancy of the F0 generation rats decreased but did not decrease in the F1 generation. While no influence of CPZ on the number of myometrial glands, on the length of pregnancy or on delivery was noted in either the F0 or F1 females, the number of surviving fetuses and newborns decreased in a dose-dependent fashion. 2) The body weight of rats in the F0 and F1 generations decreased depending on the dosage of CPZ, but the body weight of the F2 generation increased. 3) The wet weight of the major organs of the male and female rats in the F0 generation was affected by CPZ when administered at 100 mg/kg. The weight of the adrenal, pituitary and prostate glands in males, the adrenal gland and ovary in females increased, whereas the weight of the pituitary and uterus in females decreased. These results suggest that administering CPZ to the F0 rats before mating exerts an influence on the reproduction in both the F0 and F1 generations.