Epitalon in pregnant rats: altered brain development and behavior
B. Ya. Ryzhavskii, I. V. Nikolaeva · 2007 · Far Eastern Medical Journal / Dalnevostochnyi meditsinskii zhurnal. 2007;(2):131–132
Maternal exposure in animals · Pregnancy and offspring evidence review ↗
Reported findings and study design
Reported findings
At day 40, exposed offspring weighed 73.6±2.6 g versus 83.4±4.9 g in pooled controls. Cortical measurements increased, while behavior at day 30 suggested less exploration and more anxiety. Larger brain measurements were not demonstrated benefits.
Pregnant rats received two Epitalon injections on gestation days 18 and 20; pooled intact/saline offspring controls. Histology at postnatal days 1 and 40, elevated-plus-maze behavior at day 30. No hypoxic injury was induced.
Dose, route and schedule
Epitalon 10 µg per pregnant dam intramuscularly on gestation days 18 and 20, 0.1 mL solution. This is per animal, not per kilogram. Intact and equal-volume saline offspring controls pooled after no detected difference. Histomorphometry and nucleic-acid microphotometry; elevated plus maze. Historical experiment, not human-use instructions.
Protocol source ↗ · Original two-page scanned article; both pages visually inspected, including all methods and numerical results
| Measure | Result | Comparison, timing and statistics |
|---|---|---|
| Offspring body weight | 73.6 ± 2.6 g versus 83.4 ± 4.9 g | Epitalon-exposed versus pooled control offspring · Day 40 · Narrative describes significantly reduced growth; exact p-value/uncertainty type not specified |
| Parietal cortex thickness | 1528 ± 34 versus 1350 ± 36 µm | Exposed versus pooled controls · Day 40 · Described as significant; exact p-value absent |
| Layer I thickness / layer II neuron count | 137 ± 2 versus 129 ± 2 µm; 21.3 ± 0.8 versus 16.9 ± 0.5 cells per standard field | Measurements are structural differences, not proof of improved function · Day 40 |
| Behavioral direction | Less exploration and open-arm activity; more time in closed arms, grooming and sniffing | Authors interpret reduced exploratory activity and increased anxiety · Day 30 |
| Neutral findings | No significant body-weight differences at days 1, 14, 21 or 30; no absolute brain/hemisphere weight difference at days 1–40 |
Small maternal sample: five treated dams, three intact and two saline dams. Pup counts must not be presented as independent pregnancies. Random allocation, masking, sex-stratified analysis and litter-adjusted statistics are not established. Numerical behavioral scores are absent. Reduced growth and increased anxiety-related behavior prevent describing these results as uniformly neuroprotective or as pregnancy-safety evidence.
Source for the extracted data ↗ · Checked 2026-11-08
Molekul summary of the linked publication. Educational information, not medical advice. Seek qualified healthcare help for medical conditions.
Methods, limitations & source review
Study limitations
- Small maternal sample: five treated dams, three intact and two saline dams. Pup counts must not be presented as independent pregnancies.
- Random allocation, masking, sex-stratified analysis and litter-adjusted statistics are not established. Numerical behavioral scores are absent.
- Reduced growth and increased anxiety-related behavior prevent describing these results as uniformly neuroprotective or as pregnancy-safety evidence.
Publication counts are not counts of independent trials. Reviews, translations and reports sharing participants may overlap. Findings apply to the studied preparation, population and endpoints.
Document format: Original PDF
Review depth: Original two-page scanned article; both pages visually inspected, including all methods and numerical results
Related-report group: pregnancy-epitalon-brain-2007. Reports in this group are not assumed to be independent trials.
Source access and review scope
Original two-page scanned article; both pages visually inspected, including all methods and numerical results
Recorded source-check date: 2026-11-08. This date does not imply a completed systematic review.
Source type: Original journal publication
Citation and original source
Original source: B. Ya. Ryzhavskii, I. V. Nikolaeva. Epitalon in pregnant rats: altered brain development and behavior Far Eastern Medical Journal / Dalnevostochnyi meditsinskii zhurnal. 2007;(2):131–132 2007.
Molekul research summary: https://molekul.io/research/pregnancy-epitalon-brain-2007. Cite the original publication for its findings and this page when referring to Molekul’s summary or evidence appraisal.
Bibliography entry