Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine embryopathy in Wistar rats.
Pregnant Wistar rats received a therapeutic dose (0.72 mg/kg body weight) of intramuscular sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine on days 5, 12, and 19 of gestation. The treated animals showed elevated neutrophilic lobe average and increased urinary excretion of formiminoglutamic acid (FIGLU) as compared with controls (p < 0.001), confirming folic acid deficiency due to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine treatment. Complete embryo resorption occurred in the treatment group, while the control animals littered normally. These findings imply that sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine should be used with utmost caution in early pregnancy as this regimen can lead to folic acid deficiency and consequent pregnancy wastage.
Uche-Nwachi
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Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad.
Caxton-Martins
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D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000506:poisoning*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000139:chemically induced; D011247:Pregnancy; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000506:poisoning*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000506:poisoning*
D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D011739:Pyrimethamine