Developmental effects of petroleum creosote on mice following oral exposure

Petroleum creosote, dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide, was administered by gavage to pregnant ICR mice on days 5-9 of gestation at a single dose (400 mg/kg body weight per day). Animals were euthanized on day 17 of gestation, and live fetuses were weighed and examined for skeletal and visceral malformations. Maternal body weights were significantly lowered in both the group administered creosote and the group administered the solvent alone. The number of live fetuses, dead fetuses, resorptions, and the sex ratio in the live fetuses were similar in all groups. Petroleum creosote as administered in this study was not found to be teratogenic in ICR mice.