Toxic Potential of Rifadin in Developing Mice

Rifadin was tested for its embryotoxic and teratogenic effects on the developing mice. Different doses of rifadin were administrated to the pregnant mice orally on days 6 to 12 of gestation. A vehicle control and control group were also maintained by giving 0.1 ml of distilled water and nothing respectively. The treated mice were given caesarian section on day 18 of gestation and fetuses were subjected to morphological, morphometric and histological analysis. The morphological analysis showed that developmental defects such as hindlimb dysplasia, hyperextension of forelimb, drooped wrist, low set arm, micromelia, anophthalmia, macrophthalmia, anophthalmia, open eyelid, distorted axis, hydrocephaly,short tail, curly tail, intrauterine growth retardation, hemorrhagic spots on back and tail, runt and resorbed fetuses were also observed as compared to control. Morphometric observations showed significant (P < 0.001) decrease in fetal body weight, crown-rump length, head and eye circumferences, forelimb and hind limb and tail length as compared to control. Histological defects which observed as compared to control were neural tube defects, micropthalmia, brain defects (enlargement of 4th ventricle and mesenchymal neuroglial cells) and hepatic necrosis. These results clearly indicated that Rifadin is dangerous to developing mice fetuses. It is quite apparent that Rifadin should not be given to pregnant mothers during organogenesis period.