Effects of nicotine on uterine blood flow and intrauterine oxygen tension in the rat.
Subcutaneous injection of nicotine (0.5 or 5 mg/kg body wt) resulted in a marked and prolonged reduction in uterine blood flow and intrauterine oxygen tension in pseudopregnant rats. By 10 min after nicotine administration (5 mg/kg) uterine perfusion was reduced by 40%, remained suppressed for 90 min and returned to the pre-treatment level by 120 min. Rats receiving the 0.5 mg nicotine/kg also showed a marked reduction in uterine blood flow, although the response was slower in onset and longer in duration. Nicotine (5 mg/kg) also resulted in a sustained decrease in intrauterine oxygen tension from a control value of 48.9 +/- 3.6 to 22.2 +/- 2.6 mmHg at 45--60 min and 21.7 +/- 1.5 mmHg at 60--90 min. The frequency and amplitude of fluctuations in intrauterine oxygen tension were still reduced by 90 min after treatment.
D000818:Animals; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010313:Partial Pressure; D011555:Pseudopregnancy; D051381:Rats; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D009538:Nicotine; D010100:Oxygen