Veterinary Archives, Vol. 83 No. 1, 2013.
Original scientific paper
Changes in peripheral hormone levels after mid-gestation termination of pregnancy with aglepristone in rats.
Chike F. Oguejiofor
orcid.org/0000-0002-1889-7691
; Department of Veterinary Obstetrics and Reproductive Diseases, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria
Izuchukwu S. Ochiogu
; Department of Veterinary Obstetrics and Reproductive Diseases, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria
Chukwuka N. Uchendu
; Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in concentrations of plasma hormones after midgestation termination of pregnancy with aglepristone in albino rats. Methods: Fifteen (15) pregnant albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) were randomly allocated to two groups. Aglepristone (Alizin®) was administered to group I (n = 7) subcutaneously at a dose of 10 mg/kg b.w. on days 10 and 11 of gestation (24 h apart) whereas group II (n = 8) were injected with an equivalent volume (0.33 mL/kg) of sterile water for injection (Dana®) via the same route and on the same days as indicated for group I. Blood samples for hormonal assay were collected from both groups and the mean serum concentrations of progesterone, oestradiol, LH and FSH on gestation days 8 (prior to treatment), 12, 16, and 20 were determined using the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) technique. Results: Bloody vulval discharges (abortion) were observed in all the aglepristone-treated rats within 24.7 ± 3.8 h after the first injection of aglepristone and lasted for 47 ± 5.7 h post-treatment. By day 16 post-mating (6 days after first treatment), the aglepristone-treated rats had significantly (P<0.05) lower serum concentrations of oestradiol (17.07 ± 3.54 pg/mL) and progesterone (11.64 ± 4.3 ng/mL) than group II (34.19 ± 6.98 pg/mL; 88.44 ± 18.52 ng/mL respectively). By day 20 post-mating, the mean serum FSH level of group I was significantly higher (13.61 ± 10.21 mIU/mL) than that of group II (3.84 ± 0.87 mIU/mL; P<0.05). Conclusion: Aglepristone was very effective in termination of pregnancy when administered mid-gestation to albino rats. However, the hormonal changes observed following the termination of pregnancy with aglepristone in rats differed from the reports in dogs and cats.
Keywords
aglepristone; antiprogestin; abortion; gestation; rat; hormones
Hrčak ID:
97127
URI
Publication date:
11.2.2013.
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