Fertility and teratogenic studies of diethylene glycol monobutyl ether in rats and rabbits

The solvent, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (DGBE), was dosed orally at 0, 250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/day to male rats for 60 days prior to mating and to females from 14 days prior to mating until sacrificed on Day 13 or the weaning of the offspring. Untreated males were bred to treated females and vice versa. One-half of each group of females was sacrificed on Day 13 of gestation and the uterine contents were examined. The remaining females delivered their young and the offspring were followed to weaning. The solvent had no adverse effect on fertility in either sex and no adverse effects on embryos, fetuses, or neonates, except that the mean pup weights were reduced slightly during the later stages of lactation among the offspring of the females dosed with 100 mg/kg/day. Pregnant rabbits treated topically with the solvent applied to the dorsal skin at 0, 100, 300, or 1000 mg/kg on Days 7-18 of gestation exhibited a dose-dependent mild skin irritation but no other signs of toxicity. No adverse effects were seen on intrauterine survival or on the incidence of fetal malformations.