Search NEL Online

Evaluation Studies 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 82-85 PubMed PMID: 17159786 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Animals, Newborn, Antioxidants:therapeutic use, Behavior, Animal:drug effects, Carbolines:therapeutic use, Female, Growth and Development:drug effects, Hypoxia:pathology, Male, Motor Activity:drug effects, Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Animal, Premedicat.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the synthetic pyridoindole antioxidant stobadine (STO, 50mg/kg/day) on behavioural alterations induced by acute neonatal anoxia in rat offspring.

METHODS: STO was administered orally from day 15 of gestation up to day 7 post partum (PP). Pups of both genders were exposed to anoxia (100% N(2) for 10 minutes in a special glass chamber) on day 6 PP. After the anoxic insult, neurobehavioural development of rats (somatic growth and maturation, neuromotor and reflex development, spontaneous behaviour in open field) was evaluated up to adulthood.

RESULTS: Neonatal anoxia did not affect somatic growth and maturation. The anoxic insult resulted in hyperactivity of male offspring in the open field test. STO pretreatment was found to decrease the anoxia induced hyperactivity in male offspring, and affected also the performance of pups on rotating rod.

CONCLUSIONS: Since STO reduced anoxia-induced hyperactivity, we suggest its potential protective effect in acute hypoxic insults in the perinatal period....

Read abstract

Evaluation Studies 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 69-73 PubMed PMID: 17159783 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Animals, Newborn, Dietary Supplements, Female, Fetal Hypoxia:chemically induced, Fetal Viability:drug effects, Growth and Development:drug effects, Male, Phenytoin:toxicity, Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Animal, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects:preventi.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the effect of supranutritional dosage of the natural antioxidant vitamin E (VitE) on phenytoin (PHT) induced developmental toxicity and possible long-term effects in rat offspring.

METHODS: PHT (150 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage daily from day 7 to 18 of gestation and VitE prior to PHT orally on the same days.

RESULTS: PHT administration alone resulted in decreased survival rate and lower body weight of pups on day 21 post partum (PP). Moreover, PHT slightly changed somatic growth and pups failed to present dynamic air righting on days 15-20 PP. VitE supplementation did not alleviate these changes but rather induced persisting body weight reduction on the days 21 PP and 100 PP. We observed also decreased brain wet weight in the PHT and VitE + PHT groups compared to controls.

CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that prenatal supplementation with 500 mg/kg of VitE did not ameliorate the developmental toxicity of PHT and failed to protect postnatal development of rat offspring. Further, in the group supplemented with VitE, the occurrence of persistent body weight gain depression up to adulthood indicates its possible interference with somatic growth regulation....

Read abstract