Mutagenicity testing of doxylamine succinate, an antinauseant drug

Doxylamine succinate (DA), a compound which was formerly used as an antinauseant during pregnancy, showed no substantial mutagenicity in mouse embryos following transplacental exposure. A small dose-dependent induction of chromosomal aberrations was found in mouse embryos on day 11 of gestation. No induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) was found in embryos on day 11 of gestation. A micronucleus test with fetal blood on day 17 of gestation was negative. Additionally, DA was negative in Chinese hamster bone marrow in vivo (micronuclei) and in human lymphocyte cultures in vitro (SCE).