Teratogenic Effect of Sublethal Doses of Deltamethrin in Mice

Present study was conducted to evaluate the teratogenic effects of sublethal concentrations viz., 19.36, 9.7, and 4.8μg/g BW of deltamethrin, which was administered orally to the pregnant mice on day 6 of gestation. The fetuses were recovered on day 18 of gestation. The morphological studies revealed abnormalities including sacral hygromae, microcephally, micromelia, open eyelids, microphthalmia, exophthalmia, cryptophthalmia, anophthalmia, droopingwrist, kyphosis, and short tail. Fetal resorptions increased with the increasing dose. Morphometric analysis showed an overall significant (P<0.001) reduction in bodyweight, crown rump length, brain and eyes circumferences, lengths of hind and forelimbs and tail size. The histological studies showed malformations including defective nasal pouch, nasal septum with atrophied inferior cochlea, missing of eye ball, pericranial hydrocephaly, cleft palate, degeneration of jaw muscles. Tissue necrosis of brain, liver and intestine were also observed as compared to vehicle control.