MUTAGENICITY OF CIDIAL (PHENTHOATE) .1. EFFECT ON MATERNAL AND FETAL SOMATIC-CELLS

Cidial, an organophosphorous insecticide (also known as phenthoate), w as tested for its genotoxic effect on both maternal and fetal cells. C idial was administered at three different dose levels (53.5, 106.9, an d 171 mg/kg) to pregnant mice on day 16 of gestation. Maternal bone ma rrow and embryonic liver cells were examined for chromosomal aberratio ns and cellular proliferation. Cidial was babies. found to increase th e percentage of cells with chromosomal aberrations in both mothers and fetuses. It also significantly inhibited the rate of mitotic activity of both maternal and fetal cells, with the inhibitory effect being mo re appreciable in fetal cells than in maternal cells. The data indicat e that cidial, which is widely used in rural areas, is hazardous to bo th mothers and their transplacentally exposed babies. (C) 1997 Wiley-L iss, Inc.