Acute oral toxicity of various drugs in newborn rats after treatment of the dam during gestation

Effects of the oral administration to pregnant rats of several commonly used drugs on toxicity to newborn pups were studied. In general, toxicity to the newborn was reduced only when the doses were administered after day 14 of gestation. No effects were seen with tannic acid, which appears to exert a local action on the gastrointestinal tract. Some increase in soluble enzyme activity in the liver of rat fetuses occurred following treatment of the gestating dam.