CHANGES IN PLASMA KININOGEN LEVELS INDUCED BY CELLULOSE SULPHATE DURING PREGNANCY IN THE RAT

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Abstract
1 Cellulose sulphate (1 mg/kg) produced a 30–40% depletion of plasma kininogen in rats. 2 The time course of repletion of kininogen in the plasma was compared in rats in the oestrous and dioestrous stages of the cycle and in 22 day pregnant animals. A partial repletion occurred, 3 h after the cellulose sulphate injection, which was followed by a secondary fall in plasma kininogen. Plasma kininogen values were back to control levels 10 h after the treatment in all groups. 3 Treatment of rats from days 19–22 of pregnancy with cellulose sulphate resulted in 40% depletion of plasma kininogen and in prolongation of pre-parturition behaviour. 4 It is suggested that the increase which normally occurs in plasma kininogen levels towards the end of pregnancy in the rat may play a role in the process of parturition.