Carisoprodol: reproductive assessment by continuous breeding in Swiss mice

Carisoprodol (CARI), a commonly prescribed neuromuscular relaxant, was evaluated for reproductive toxicity in Swiss CD-1 mice using the Reproductive Assessment by Continuous Breeding (RACB) protocol. Male and female mice were given CARI in corn oil suspension by daily gavage at doses of 0, 300, 750, and 1200 mg/kg body wt/day. Clinical signs of general toxicity in F0 animals included sedation, primarily in the high-dose group during the first week of exposure, and reduced body weight in high-dose females. CARI administration for 14 weeks did not affect the ability of the F0 animals to produce litters. However, decreases in proportion of pups born alive (4%) and absolute (5%) and adjusted live pup weight (7%) were observed at 1200 mg/kg CARI when compared to controls. In a crossover mating trial to determine the affected sex, there were no significant differences in the measured reproductive parameters. CARI at the high dose increased the proportion of time spent in proestrus and estrus, but cycle length was unaffected. At F0 necropsy (Week 27 of treatment), all sperm parameters were normal. Right epididymis and liver weights, relative to body weight, were increased (12 and 23%, respectively) over the control group for high-dose males. A mating trial to determine the fertility and reproductive competence of the F1 generation showed no effect of CARI on indices of mating, pregnancy, or fertility, the proportion of F2 pups born alive, the sex ratio of live F2 pups, live F2 pup weight, or gestation length.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)