Teratological and cytogenetical evaluation of two antihistamines (pipethiadene and pizotifen maleate) in mice

The teratogenic and cytogenetic effects of two drugs with antihistamine properties, Pipethiadene and Pizotifen maleate, were investigated. Three groups of pregnant mice were treated daily with oral doses (0.24, 0.6 and 1.2 mg/kg) of these drugs from day 4 to day 16 of gestation. The following parameters were investigated: reproductive health of the dams, external, skeletal and visceral malformations of fetuses and frequencies of micronuclei and chromosome aberrations in bone marrow cells of dams. Oral administration of Pipethiadene or Pizotifen maleate produced no teratogenic effects. No elevation was observed in the frequencies of micronuclei and chromosome aberrations. However, the significant reduction of fetal weight after all doses of Pipethiadene or Pizotifen maleate was found to correlate well with the decreased values of the mitotic indices of bone marrow cells of mice, suggesting a potential embryotoxic effect of the tested substances.