Oral toxicity of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate during pregnancy and suckling in the Long-Evans rat

Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a compound widely used in plastics technology to impart flexibility to rigid polymers. We sought to determine whether the oral exposure of female rats to DEHP during gestation and suckling produces alterations in the litter. Female rats were exposed to di erent concentrations of DEHP suspended in drinking water (32.5 and 325 ml/litre) from day 1 of pregnancy to day 21 after delivery. Pup body weight gain and kidney, liver and testes weight was measured at di erent times (21, 28, 35, 42 and 56 days) after birth. Plasma concentrations of DEHP and histopathological alterations in kidneys, liver and testes were also studied. In addition, the ability of female pups (1 month of age) to perform a learned avoidance test, the `beam walking' test, was eval- uated. Perinatal exposure to DEHP produced no statistically signi®cant changes in the body weight gain of o spring. Conversely, it produced a signi®cant decrease in kidney and testes relative weight (organ/body weight) with a signi®cant increase in relative liver weight. Signs of histological damage in kidneys, liver, and particularly testes, were observed. Pups exposed perinatally to the highest concen- tration of DEHP elicited a significant increase in the time necessary to perform the beam walking test.