Benzodiazepines and reproduction of swiss-webster mice

Author:  Guerriero FJ, Fox KA.

Abstract:  Chronic dietary administration of 6 different benzodiazepine tranquilizers (chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, oxazepam, prazepam, flurazepam, and nitrazepam) to breeding pairs of Swiss-Webster mice resulted in alterations of the normal patterns of reproductive behavior and fetal growth. Significant decreases in mating performance were seen among mice given diets containing 0.15% chlordiazepoxide, 0.05% diazepam, 0.05 and 0.15% oxazepam, 0.02 and 0.10% prazepam, 0.10% flurazepam, and 0.025% nitrazepam. Offspring in all drug treatments showed significantly depressed body weights at birth.