Abstract
Maternal use of the beta blocker propranolol (PRO) has been associated with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in the offspring. Because mothers received the drug for hypertension or cardiac disease, it is uncertain whether the drug or the disease produced the IUGR. To determine whether PRO itself could inhibit growth, it was given to rats at various ages. Administration by gavage at a dose of 50 mg/kg to pregnant rats on days 17-21 resulted in significantly lower birth weight (5.76±0.28g vs. 6.41±0.63, p<0.05) even though mean litter size was also slightly reduced. In contrast, administration to pair-fed post-weanling rats had no effect on growth. Suckling rats given PRO 50 mg/kg by gavage starting on day 4 had a 22% deficit in body weight (p<0.01) and a 10% deficit in brain weight (p<0.01),in comparison to controls by day 16. A dose of 25 mg/kg did not affect growth while 75 mg/kg produced a 33% weight deficit on day 16.
Conclusion: PRO produces a dose-dependent impairment of somatic and brain growth in the absence of maternal disease. Administration after the completion of the phase of rapid brain growth had no effect.
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Redmond, G., Soyka, L. 1215 PROPRANOLOL INHIBITS BRAIN AND SOMATIC GROWTH IN THE RAT. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 645 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01241
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01241
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