Abortifacient effect of metoclopramide in female albino rats.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Metoclopramide a dopamine receptor antagonist is commonly used to treat nausea and vomiting. Long term use can cause parkinsonism, galactorrhoea and gynaecomastia. As it is lipid soluble, it enters the brain, easily crosses the placental barrier and can affect the fetus. Hence, the present study is designed to assess the risk of metoclopramide in pregnant albino rats. OBJECTIVES: To study the abortifacient effect of metoclopramide in pregnant albino rats. METHODS: Eighteen pregnant rats were divided into three groups of six rats each. The abortifacient activities of metoclopramide were studied in the doses of 1 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg intramuscularly. The treatments were started on the 6th day of pregnancy and continued till the 15th day. Rats were laparotomised on 19th day of pregnancy for evaluation of abortifacient action. In both the horns of the uterus, number of implantation sites, resorption sites, dead and live fetuses were observed. RESULTS: The mean percentage of aborted fetus was 17.22 +/= 21.13 33.88 +/= 37.73 after 1mg/kg and 85.21 +/=18.93 after 3mg/kg of metoclopramide. The abortifacient effect of higher dose was significantly larger compared to both control group and low dose group, but there was no significant difference between the mean percentage of abortion in control group and the low dose group of metoclopramide. CONCLUSION: Metoclopramide at 3mg/kg intra muscular has abortifacient effects in female albino rats.