Purpose: The reproductive toxicology of mangafodipir trisodium (MnDPDP
, Teslascan), a new hepatobiliary MR contrast agent, was evaluated in
rats and rabbits. Material and Methods: Male and female fertility and
post-natal development were examined in rats after repeated i.v. injec
tions of MnDPDP. The developmental toxicity in rats was investigated a
fter repeated daily i.v. injections during organogenesis with MnDPDP,
MnCl2, or DPDP, as well as with MnCl2 administered orally. The develop
mental toxicity of i.v. injected MnDPDP was also investigated in rabbi
ts. Results: MnDPDP (100 mu mol/kg) had no adverse effects on rat fert
ility. However, both MnDPDP (10-40 mu mol/kg) and MnCl2 (30 mu mol/kg)
caused skeletal abnormalities in the rat, but not in the rabbit given
20 mu mol MnDPDP/kg. Maternal treatment of rats with MnDPDP (40 mu mo
l/kg) reduced survival and body weights of neonates, and adversely aff
ected their functional, but not physical development. No skeletal abno
rmalities were seen in the rat after i.v. administered DPDP (40 mu mol
/kg) or MnCl2 (6 mu mol/kg), or after MnCl2 (400 mu mol/kg) given by o
ral gavage. Maternal toxicity was not seen in rats or rabbits given th
ese doses. Conclusion: MnDPDP caused skeletal abnormalities in foetal
rats, but not rabbits, and had no effects on rat fertility. Manganese
appears to be the causative agent for inducing bone abnormalities in t
he rat.