Reproductive and Teratological Studies with a New Aminoglycoside: Netilmicin (Sch 20569)

Abstract

Reproductive and teratological studies were undertaken with netilmicin (Sch 20569), a new semisynthetic aminoglycoside antibiotic structurally related to sisomicin. The i.m. administration of 32 and 80 mg/kg per day in the rat prior to and during pregnancy and lactation did not affect the fertility of animals, the resorptions rate and the vitality of the litters until the 2nd generation. In the rabbit, the i.m. dose of 32 mg/kg per day during pregnancy did not cause any embryotoxic effect. No gross malformations were observed in either species. The minor skeletal malformation, described as wavy ribs, was observed at a significant level only in rat fetuses generated by dams treated with an i.m. dose as high as 80 mg/kg per day.