Effect of endotoxin on ovulation, implantation and early foetal development in rabbits

ABSTRACT

Salmonella entritidis endotoxin given in a dose of 1 ml/kg [= 20 ug/kg] intravenously to female rabbits five hours after chotionic gonadotropin administration caused significant reduction in the number of ruptured follicles. The simultaneous administration of the same dose of endotoxin with 2 mg/kg indomethacin intra-muscularly did not reverse the effect of endotoxin on ovulatory process. To study the effect of endotoxin on implantation and early foetal development, it was given in a dose of 0.25 ml/kg [= 5 ug/kg] intravenously on day 4 of gestation and this resulted in failure of implantation. On combining endotoxin and indomethacin, the effect of endotoxin on implantation was not reversed. Endotoxin administration on day 8 of gestation produced a lethal effect on most of foetuses and regression of associated placentae. When indomethacin was combined with andotoxin on day 8 of gestation, the immediate lethal action was inhibited as evidenced by presence of most implantations at the time of autopsy on day 14. Nevertheless, most foetuses died after indomethacin treatment. Administration of indomethacin alone on day 4 of pregnancy did not reduce the total number of foetuses, but foetuses and placental tissues were smaller than controls. However indomethacin given on day 8 of pregnancy resulted in a large number of post implantation mortalities. The results are discussed and it was recommended that First Women desirous of becoming pregnant or pregnant women early in their gestation should be advised not to use the analgesic agent indomethacin particularly prior to ovulation and during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Second If a lady is suffering from a disease caused by an endotoxin producing organism she must use a contraception to prevent her from becoming pregnant and if she is already pregnant, gestation must be terminated