Reproduction study of carteolol hydrochloride in mice. Part I. Fertility and reproductive performance

Carteolol was administered orally by gastric intubation at 3, 15, 75 or 150 mg/kg/day to ICR-JCL mice of both sexes prior to mating and to females during early stage of pregnancy to determine its effects on the entire reproductive process and fetal development. Following results were obtained: 1) The decrease of spontaneous motor activity was observed in all treatment groups, and some animals in the 75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg groups pressed the chest or abdomen against the cage wall. 2) The incidence of early resorptions in the 75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg groups was significantly higher than that in controls.3) The ossification of the talus and calcaneus was significantly retarded in the 75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg groups. The maximum non-effective dose on fertility and reproduction for carteolol was estimated to be 15 mg/kg/day, although the incidence of early resorptions was slightly elevated with this dose.