The effect of sulpiride administration on maternal and fetal plasma prolactin levels, and fetal growth in rats.

Abstract

Pregnant Wistar rats were daily injected with 5 mg sulpiride into the peritoneal cavity starting on day 14 of gestation. Blood samples were obtained from the maternal carotid artery and fetal axillary vessels on day 20 of gestation. Serum prolactin (PRL) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay using a rat PRL RIA kit. The maternal serum and fetal plasma PRL levels were significantly higher in the sulpiride-treated group than in the saline control group. There was a significant positive correlation between fetal body weight and fetal plasma PRL level. These results suggest that sulpiride which reached the fetus stimulates fetal PRL secretion and that PRL may exert a growth-promoting effect on the fetus.----prolactin; sulpiride; fetal growth; ratThe roles of prolactin (PRL) during pregnancy still remain unclear, especially the effect on the fetus. The PRL levels in fetal circulation increase significantly after 28 gestational weeks in human (Winter et al. 1975), and fetal growth is promoted markedly after the end of mid gestation. Although anencephalic infants have a low growth hormone level, the growth retardation has not been found in them (Furuhashi et al. 1980). These findings suggest that PRL may have some growth promoting effect on human fetus, and that growth hormone is not essential for fetal growth.In this study, we investigated the effect of PRL on the fetal growth and the relationship of PRL and fetal body weight using sulpiride-treated pregnant rats. MATERIALS AND METHODSSulpiride (Dogmatyl®) 5 mg or saline (control) was daily injected into the peritcneal cavity of pregnant Wistar rats from 14 days of gestational age. On day 20 of gestation all animals were sacrificed under ether anesthesia and maternal blood was obtained from the carotid artery, and the then all fetuses were exteriorized. Fetal body weight was measured immediately after exteriorization. Fetal blood samples were collected via an incision from axillary vessels using heparinized capillaries. The blood was pooled from fetuses which were taken out from one side of the uterus.

Συγκριτική Κυτταρογενετική Μελέτη Ευρέως Χρησιμοποιούμενων Αντιψυχωτικών Σκευασμάτων Σε Λεμφοκύτταρα Ανθρώπου

“…Σύµφωνα µε τους Madej και συν., η χορήγηση 50 mg/kg σουλπιρίδης ενίσχυσε την κυτταροτοξικότητα των µακροφάγων κυττάρων του σπληνός ποντικών342 . Σε µελέτη µε εγκυµονούντες επίµυες Wistar, η έγχυση 5 mg σουλπιρίδης στην περιτοναϊκή κοιλότητα από την 14 η µέρα της κύησης προκάλεσε αύξηση του σωµατικού βάρους των νεογνών ποντικών µέσω αύξησης της προλακτίνης του εµβρύου343 . Σύµφωνα µε τους Ishii και συν., η σουλπιρίδη έχει τοξική επίδραση στις ωοθήκες και στην ικανότητα εµφύτευσης του γονιµοποιηµένου ωαρίου, ενώ προκαλεί αύξηση του βάρους των νεογνών σε ποντίκια344 .…”