Effects of prenatal procarbazine administration on intrauterine development in rats.

摘要

The effects of prenatal procarbazine (PCZ) administration on the intrauterine development of rat fetuses were investigated. Gravid rats were treated on day 14 of gestation (GD14) with 25 mg or 50 mg/kg body weight PCZ via stomach tube. Controls received normal saline in the same dosis and manner. On GD20, all fetuses were collected by caesarian section. Live and dead fetuses as well as resorptions were counted. In the live fetuses, the following investigations were conducted: measurement of body weight, occipito-coccygeal-lenght (OCL), tail length (TL), placental weight and diameter, external macroscopic and binocular microscopic examination, and sectional analysis of the animals using the razorblade sectioning technique. Both PCZ doses caused a significant reduction in the number of live fetuses and a significant increase in resorptions. Mean body weight in PCZ groups was antidromic affected. OCL and TL were significantly depressed. Placental weight and diameter as well as number of dead fetuses were comparable to those of controls. External and sectional investigations revealed no PCZ-related deviations. In the light of our findings we conclude that PCZ in the doses used in this experimental study significantly affects the intrauterine development in rats in terms of fetal toxicity but displays no teratological properties.