Indomethacin and uterine evacuation of conceptus in rats: possible mode of action.
Indomethacin at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg from day 18 through day 20 of pregnancy was found to extend the duration of gestation for 2-3 days over the control value. Conversely, prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) at a dose of 2.0 mg/kg on day 18 of pregnancy induced premature parturition. PGF2 alpha given concurrently with indomethacin resulted in neutralisation of the drug action and the animals delivered viable pups as identically recorded in controls. Failure of indomethacin to extend the length of pseudopregnancy in either bilaterally hysterectomized or bilaterally decidualized pseudopregnant rats revealed that the lengthening of the duration of pregnancy caused by indomethacin is not due to an extension of luteal span, but results from relaxation of the uterine smooth musculature.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009215:Myometrium / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000494:pharmacology; D011555:Pseudopregnancy / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects*
D011460:Prostaglandins F; D007213:Indomethacin