Combined effects of maternal exposure to fungicides on behavioral development in F₁‐generation mice: 1. Several dose study of both imazalil and thiabendazole

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Background Few published studies are reported for neurobehavioral toxicity of combined exposure to fungicides in mammals. This study was aimed to evaluate reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of maternal exposure to combined fungicides in mice. Methods Imazalil (IMZ) and thiabendazole (TBZ) were given in the diet to provide levels of 0/0% (control), 0.0015/0.006% (IMZ/TBZ), 0.006/0.018%, and 0.024/0.054% during the gestation and lactation periods. Selected reproductive and neurobehavioral parameters were measured in the F 1 generation. Results No adverse effect of IMZ/TBZ was observed in litter size, litter weight, or sex ratio at birth. The average body weight of male and female offspring was increased significantly in treatment groups during the lactation period. With respect to behavioral developmental parameters, the swimming head angle on PND 7 of male offspring was significantly accelerated in the treatment groups. After weaning, the movement time of exploratory behavior shortened in a significant dose‐related manner in adult males of the F 1 generation. In adult females, the rearing time of exploratory behavior lengthened in a significant dose‐related manner in the F 1 generation. Spontaneous behavior examination indicated that longitudinal patterns of each of the total distance and number of rearing were different during the control and treatment groups in the F 1 ‐generation females. Parallel width of the control and treatment groups was significantly different in the average time of movement and rearing in the F 1 ‐generation females. Conclusions The high‐dose level of IMZ/TBZ in the present study produced several adverse effects in neurobehavioral parameters after weaning without concurrent chemical administration in mice.