The developmental toxicity of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, atorvastatin, was investigated in pregnant rats and rabbits given daily oral doses during organogenesis. Rats received 0, 10, 100, or 300 mg/kg on days 6-15 of gestation, and rabbits received 0, 10, 50, or 100 mg/kg on days 6-18 of gestation. Maternal and fetal parameters were evaluated on day 20 (rats) or 29 (rabbits) of gestation. Live fetuses were examined for external, visceral, and skeletal malformations and variations. At 300 mg/kg in rats, 1 treatment-related death occurred on day 12 of gestation, and maternal body weight gain and food consumption were decreased during treatment (43% and 23%, respectively). In addition, 1 animal at 300 mg/kg had total litter resorption. Increased postimplantation loss (not statistically significant) and slightly decreased fetal body weight (statistically significant only in males) were also observed at 300 mg/kg. There were no significant differences between treated and control groups in the incidence of fetal malformations or variations. No maternal or developmental toxicity was observed in rats at 10 or 100 mg/kg. In rabbits, marked maternal toxicity (7 deaths, body weight loss during and after treatment, and decreased food consumption) and abortion occurred at 100 mg/kg. At 50 mg/kg, maternal toxicity (2 deaths and 72% body weight gain suppression) and abortion also occurred. There were no treatment-related effects on live litter size or sex ratio. At 50 and 100 mg/kg, nonstatistically significant increases in postimplantation loss and decreases in gravid uterine weight were observed, and at 100 mg/kg, decreases in fetal body weight were observed relative to controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)