abstract background: alkaloids from senna alata leaves implicated as the active constituents of abortifacient are yet to be investigated for their effects on the normal functioning of the maternal liver and kidney. therefore, the effects of crude alkaloids on some biochemical indices of kidney and liver damage were investigated in pregnant rats. methods: pregnant rats were randomized into 4 gro...

Adult offspring of severely diabetic pregnant rats are insulin resistant and display cardiovascular dysfunction. When pregnant they develop mild hyperglycaemia. Diets high in saturated fat have been implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease and vascular dysfunction. In the present study we have determined vascular function in small mesenteric arteries from offspring of normal (OC)...

High-salt (HS) diet is often associated with increased vascular resistance and arterial pressure; however, the effects of HS intake on the vascular control mechanisms of arterial pressure during pregnancy are unclear. We investigated whether a HS diet during pregnancy is associated with increases in vascular reactivity. Active stress was measured in aortic strips of virgin and normal pregnant S...

BACKGROUND As circulating plasma ATP concentrations are increased in pre-eclampsia, we tested whether increased plasma ATP is able to induce albuminuria during pregnancy. METHODS Pregnant (day 14) and non-pregnant rats were infused with ATP (3000 microg/kg bw) via a permanent jugular vein cannula. Albuminuria was determined, and blood samples were taken for leukocyte counts, plasma ATP and pl...

INTRODUCTION Despite tight glycemic control, pregnancy complication rate in type 1 diabetes patients is higher than in normal pregnancy. Other etiological factors may be responsible for the development of adverse pregnancy outcome. Acceptance of the semi-allogeneic fetus is accompanied by adaptations in the maternal immune-response. Maladaptations of the immune-response has been shown to contri...

1. In previous studies we have shown that, after the administration of adriamycin, hypertension developed in rats who became pregnant (adriamycin-pregnant rats), whereas virgin animals remained normotensive. Subsequently, we showed that this hypertension was prevented by administration of L-arginine, suggesting that deficient synthesis of nitric oxide may be pathogenetic in this model. 2. To fu...

The effects of chemical diabetes and fasting on fuel metabolism and insulin secretory activity in late pregnancy were investigated. Female Wistar rats were made chemically diabetic (CD) by intravenous injection of streptozotocine (30 mg/kg) 2 weeks before conception. When CD pregnant rats were fed, plasma glucose and insulin levels were not significantly different from those of normal pregnant ...

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of zinc sulphate on the weights of pregnant rats, on the food and water consumption during gestation, litters weight at birth, the number of litters at birth and the accumulation of zinc in selected organs of the litters. Zinc sulphate in the dose of 1 mg/l and 20 mg/l drinking water was administered to both pregnant and non-pregnant for the pe...

We have compared the antinociceptive effect of extradural lignocaine on somatic and visceral nociception in pregnant (n = 11) and non-pregnant rats (n = 9). Colorectal distension (CD) threshold and tail flick (TF) latency were measured as visceral and somatic nociception, respectively, for 60 min after extradural injection. On days 19, 20 and 21 of pregnancy, rats received lignocaine 200, 400 o...

Inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha are elevated in preeclamptic women and are thought to be an important link between placental ischemia and endothelial dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of TNF in mediating hypertension in response to chronic reductions in uterine perfusion (RUPPs) in pregnant rats. Arterial pressure was significantly...