[Embryotoxic and teratogenic action of phenylmercuric acetate (Falisan-Nassbeize)]

Tested was the embryotoxic and teratogenic action of the organic mercury compounds (phenyl mercuric acetate), containing 2 per cent mercury, on albino rats. The preparation was introduced orally during pregnancy in the form of a 2 per cent water solution at the following rates: I group--1/8 LD50 (= 4 mg Hg/kg body mass) on the 4th and 5th day of pregnancy; II group--1/3 LD50 (= 10 mg Hg/kg) on the 4th and 5th day too; III group--1/8 LD50 (= 4 mg Hg/kg) from the 3rd to the 19th day; IV group--control animals. The preparation proved to be highly toxic with the animals of the II group, with high mortality rate (42.85 per cent). No teratogenic effect with malformations was produced with the three test groups during embryogenesis.