Teratogenic effects of indomethacin on rat embryos

ABSTRACT

In this study 16 pregnant albino rats was divided into two eaual groups. The first group was injected daily with 1 mg/kg body weight indomethacin intraperitoneally from day 6 to 10 of gestation. Doses of 2 mg/kg body weight or more were tried but were rejected because of high incidence of embryolethality and maternal mortality. One da 12 of gestation [11.5 embryonic age day], embryos were explanted, examined and their morphological parameters were evaluated. The most common development effect observed in embryos of the treated group was intrauterine growth retardation as evidenced by the significant decrease in their morphological score when comared with those of the control group. In embroys of the treated group, there were a decrease in both crown-rump and head lengths, reduction in the numbers of both branchial bars and somites, as well as a delay in the formation of the forelimb bods. Also a significant increase in embryolethality was was noticed in the treated group as proved by the increased number of resorptions. These changes were associated with a decrease in the body weight of the treated mothers when comared with the control ones. On the basis of the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that malnutrition of the pregnant rats caused by gastrointestinal tract dysfunction, constriction of the vessels of the conceptus, viz. uterine, umbilical and vitelline vessels and impariment of cell division of the embryo may contribute in the mechanisms through which indomethacin could affect the rat embryos