The relationship of chemical structure to teratogenic activity among bisazo dyes: a re-evaluation

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Abstract
Samples of five bisazo dyes, trypan blue, Niagara blue 2B, Niagara blue 4B, Afridol blue and Evans blue, of confirmed identity and known purity, have been tested as teratogens by suebutaneous injection into the Wistar rat. Each dye except Niagara blue 4B, if administered at an appropriate dose and stage of pregnancy, shows high activity. Niagara blue 4B at low dose produces a few malformed survivors at term, but in higher doses leads to considerable maternal and embryonic mortality. Serum dye concentrations at intervals after subcutaneous injection were calculated and it was found that when injected at doses which gave maximum teratogenic response serum levels of the same order over the susceptible period were maintained for each dye. The hypothesis is advanced that the observed differences in teratogenic behaviour of the dyes to some extent reflect differences in the handling of the dyes by the mother rather than absolute differences in activity.