Behavioral and developmental effects in rats following in utero exposure to 2,4-D/2,4,5-t mixture

Groups (G) of pregnant rats were gavaged with 1:1, 2,4-D/2, 4, 5-T mixture at 0 (GO), 50 (G50), 100 (G100) and 125 (G125) mg/day on gestational days 6 to 15. G100 and G125 dams gained significantly less weight during pregnancy and delivered fewer offspring than control. Gestational lengths, neonatal sex ratios, birth weights, and physical appearance at birth were unaffected by treatments. On postnatal day (PND) 1, G125 mortality was significantly increased. Except for a significant weight reduction in G125 on PND60, postnatal growth and maturation were unaffected by treatments. 2,4-D/2, 4, 5-T significantly delayed male and female surface righting (PND2-5), and negative geotaxis at 45 degrees angle (PND15-17) in all groups; olfactory discrimination (PND9-11), and negative geotaxis at 25 degrees (PND7-11) in G100 and G125. On PND9 negative geotaxis at 25 degrees were significantly delayed in G50 females. d-Amphetamine challenges significantly increased running wheel activity of G125 males on PND22 and 23. 2,4-D/2,4,5-T was behaviorally teratogenic at all dosage levels.