Teratogenic effects of mescaline, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in the hamster
Teratology – June 01, 1981
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Mescaline significantly impacts reproductive success in pregnant hamsters, with a 32 mg/kg dose causing 48.8% resorptions compared to just 6.4% in controls. Litter size decreased from 12.0 pups in control groups to 6.5 pups in those receiving the higher mescaline dose. Additionally, both epinephrine and norepinephrine at 500 μg/kg reduced reproductive success, leading to increased resorption rates and delays in skeletal ossification. Notably, no gross abnormalities were detected during necropsy, highlighting mescaline's complex pharmacological effects on reproduction.
Abstract
Abstract Mescaline was administered orally at doses of 16 and 32 mg/kg on the seventh through tenth days of gestation to pregnant cream‐strain hamsters. This treatment resulted in a dose‐dependent effect on reproductive success and skeletal ossification. The effect of mescaline on reproductive success included an increased number of resorptions resulting in a decreased litter size. The 32 mg/kg dose of mescaline caused 48.8% resorptions, while 16 mg/kg and control animals had 12.0% and 6.4% resorptions, respectively. Litter size was decreased from 12.0 pups in controls to 10.3 (16 mg/kg) and 6.5 (32 mg/kg) pups per litter in treated groups. No gross abnormalities were observed at necropsy; there was, however, a dose‐dependent increased delay in the ossification of the skull, sternum, and metatarsals. Both epinephrine and norepinephrine caused a decrease in reproductive success when administered at 500 μg/kg. Epinephrine appeared to cause a trend towards preimplantation wastage as indicated by an increased corpora lutea to implantation site ratio (from 1.3–1.9). Norepinephrine, however, caused an increased number of resorptions (29.1% in controls). Both norepinephrine and epinephrine produced similar delays in ossification.