Effects of Antimony Compounds on Foetal Development in Rats

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Abstract
Alkhawajah, A.M., Jain, S. and Larbi, E.B. 1996. Effects of antimony compounds on foetal development in rats. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 10: 15–24. Pentavalent antimonials (PVA), sodium stibogluconate (SSG) and meglumine antimoniate (MA) are considered the mainstay of chemotherapy of all forms of leishmaniasis. We report here the possible teratogenic potential of these compounds when they are used during pregnancy in rats. Animals were divided into 10 treatment groups of 10 rats each. Rats in Group 1 were injected with saline (control). Groups 2–5 were injected with SSG i.m. for 10 successive days (days 6–15 of pregnancy) with doses of 30, 100, 300 and 900 mg Sb/kg. Groups 6–9 were injected with MA for the same period and at the same dose levels. Those in Group 10 were injected with 100 mg/kg of SbCl3 using the same protocol. On day 20 of gestation foetuses were removed by C-section and examined for any teratogenic abnormality. Rats injected with SSG (30 mg Sb/kg) exhibited a 5.9% foetal resorption rate. This effect seems to be dose dependent as doses of 100 and 300 mg Sb/kg caused 14% and 21.4% foetal resorption, respectively. Injection of MA at the same dose levels of 30, 100 and 300 mg Sb/kg also caused dose dependent increase in foetal resorption of 1.2%, 26.7% and 33%, respectively. Most resorptions with either SSG or MA appeared to occur in early gestation. The mean weight of the viable foetuses from mothers treated with PVA's was significantly lower than that of the control mice (P>0.05). Some skeletal and visceral deformities were also observed in many foetuses. Antimony trichloride also caused 36% foetal resorption when it was injected at a dose of 100 mg/kg- The teratogenic effects of PVA's may be related to their antimony content.