Aortic arch anomalies associated with the administration of epinephrine in chick embryos

Abstract

Abstract Single doses of epinephrine (5 μg) administered to 83 groups of chick embryos (24–190 h) at 2‐h intervals, produced a spectrum of aortic arch anomalies. The epinephrine was placed on the surface, of the extra embryonic membrane over the developing embryo in ovo, at a time when aortic arch morphogenesis is occurring. The peak incidence of anomalies (94%) occurred after treatment during day 5 of incubation (108–112 h). The anomalies involved the 3rd, 4th, and 6th pairs of aortic arches; those involving the right 4th arch (arcus aortae) were consistently associated with ventricular septal defects.