COCAINE DOES NOT INFLUENCE THE TERATOGENIC EFFECTS OF ACUTE ETHANOL IN MICE

The teratogenic effects of the coadministration of alcohol (ethanol) a nd cocaine to pregnant C57BL/6J mice were investigated using an acute treatment model on gestation day 10 (GD10). The day of mating was desi gnated as GD1. Pregnant mice were assigned to treatment groups generat ed from a 3(0, 4, 6 g/kg alcohol) x 3 (0, 40, 60 mg/kg cocaine) factor ial design to explore possible interactive effects of these commonly a bused drugs. Females were treated on GD10 (alcohol gavage followed by SC cocaine injection) and their litters were evaluated on GD19 by cesa rean delivery. Two additional free-fed groups, as well as a pair-fed g roup, were employed. Food and water intake was recorded in treated gro ups. Results indicated that only the high dose alcohol produced a sign ificant decrease in fetal body weight and a significant elevation of t he incidence of kidney and limb malformations. These effects could not be attributed to restricted food intake. Cocaine was not found to pro duce any significant perturbations of development, either alone or in combination with alcohol. These results suggest that acute prenatal co caine exposure on GD10 does not produce teratogenic effects when admin istered alone or in combination with acute alcohol in C57BL/6J mice, a t least under the present experimental conditions.