PERINATAL ASTEMIZOLE EXPOSURE IN THE RAT THROUGHOUT GESTATION - LONG-TERM BEHAVIORAL AND ANATOMIC EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH REPRODUCTION

Astemizole (ATZ), a non-sedative antihistamine, which antagonize hista mine at the level of H1 receptor, was administered daily to female Wis tar rats as a 10-mg/kg dose throughout pregnancy. ATZ exposure reduced offspring body weight and delayed the pinna detachment and startle re flex without any modification of dams body weight during gestation. Lo ng-term disruption of male reproductive behavior was seen in experimen tal animals, whereas female sexual behavior was not modified. In addit ion, no motor alterations were observed in female or males in adulthoo d. Testis wet weight was reduced, but no modifications were detected i n vasa deferentia or seminal vesicle. We proposed that ATZ administrat ion during pregnancy causes several effects mainly of a sexual nature by interfering either with the hormonal mechanism involved in the cent ral nervous system masculinization or by a direct action of the drug o n pups during the development.