1983 Volume 141 Issue 3 Pages 323-326
FUKAYA, T., FURUHASHI, N., KONO, H., SHINKAWA, O., TAKAHASHI, T. and SUZUKI, M. The Effect of Sulpiride Administration on Maternal and Fetal Plasma Prolactin Levels, and Fetal Growth in Rats. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1983, 141 (3), 323-326 - Pregnant Wistar rats were daily injected with 5mg sulpiride into the peritoneal cavity starting on day 14 of gestation. Blood samples were obtained from the maternal carotid artery and fetal axillary vessels on day 20 of gestation. Serum prolactin (PRL) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay using a rat PRL RIA kit. The maternal serum and fetal plasma PRL levels were significantly higher in the sulpiride-treated group than in the saline control group. There was a significant positive correlation between fetal body weight and fetal plasma PRL level. These results suggest that sulpiride which reached the fetus stimulates fetal PRL secretion and that PRL may exert a growth-promoting effect on the fetus.
