[The teratogenic effects of ethylene glycol dimethyl ether on mouse (author's transl)]

Ethylene glycol alkyl ethers are frequently used in industry, and accidents due to them occur. Impaired hematopoietic function and genital injury in animal experiments have been reported. Of various alkyl radicals, those with a methyl radical strongly injure them. Ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (EGDME) was administered to pregnant mice on the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th days of pregnancy, which is the early stage of organ formation, for examination of its effect on feti, with special reference to the presence or absence of teratogenicity. Of 97 female mice mated and sampled, 490 mg/kg of EGDME was administered to 28 as Group A, 350 mg/kg to 23 as Group B, and 250 mg/kg to 23 as Group C. Only distilled water was given to 23 mice as a control group. 1. The mother mice showed no noteworthy ecological changes after conception in any group, but showed uneventful weight gain. No weight loss or abortion due to EGDME was observed in the experimental groups. 2. As a result of the oral administration of EGDME to pregnant mice, 20% of feti died in Group A, 13.1% in Group B, and 12.6% in Group C, the fetal mortality rate increasing with increasing dosage. 3. Surface deformity was observed in 19.2% in Group A, 5.1% in Group B, and 0.3% in Group C, the rate of deformity being high in large-dose groups. External brain was most frequent, and palpebral patency, caudal defect, peritoneal hernia, and cleft palate were observed in a small number of mice each. 4. As skeletal deformity, defect of the parietal bone was observed in the mice with external brain, but no other cranial abnormality was observed. Abnormalities of cervical vertebrae appeared in 45.9% in Group A, 33.6% in Group B, and 14.6% in Group C. Costal fusion occurred in 71.2% in Group A, 54.3% in Group B, and 21.5% in Group C.