[Reproduction study on netilmicin. (1) Teratological study in rats (author's transl)]

Teratological study on netilmicin (NTL), a new aminoglycoside antibiotic, was carried out in Sprague-Dawley rats (Slc : SD). NTL was administered intramuscularly to female rats from day 7 to day 17 of gestation at the dosages of 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg. The decrease of food intake at the dosage of 50 mg/kg and more, and the resultant depression of maternal body weight gain at the dosage of 100 mg/kg were observed in dams receiving NTL. The depression of fetal growth, such as body weight and ossification of the sternebrae and caudal vertebrae, were detected in animals treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg of NTL. However, NTL failed to induce the external, visceral and skeletal anomalies in fetuses. Also, NTL did not cause any significant changes in birth rate, suckling rate, weaning rate, body weight, postnatal development, behavior and reproductive performance in F1. These results suggest that NTL has no adverse effect on rat fetuses and F1 generation at the dosage of 25 mg/kg or less.