Fetal development evaluation of pregnant rats exposed during gestation to the smoke of crack cocaine: a maternal and fetal toxicological study

• Grant number: 16/17050-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2016
• End date: October 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Toxicology
• Principal Investigator: Isis Machado Hueza
• Grantee: Evelyn Martins Souza Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, it has been noticed an increase in the number of female users of crack cocaine, which feed their addiction, exchange sex for the drug; and even when they become pregnant, they keep with the drug's compulsive use. In humans, the evaluation of the toxic effects of crack cocaine on the fetus is difficult to measure because of many confounding variables as the association of other drug use, malnutrition, and social stress factors. Thus, the animal model is a scientific tool of major importance. Having said that, this study will continue the previously FAPESP´s approved project (proc. 2012/24550-7), now to evaluate maternal and fetal perinatal effects of pregnant rats exposed to crack cocaine smoke. For that, pregnant Wistar rats will be divided into 4 equal groups (n=10/group). An experimental group (CK) exposed to the drug smoke; a control group (Co) subject to the same conditions of drug exposure in an apparatus developed for this; a group control of control (CC) and a group pair-fed (PF), that will receive only the same food amount that the CK group consumed, once the drug has an anorectic effect, allowing on this way, to verify the toxic effects not related to possible undernutrition. Maternal parameters (weight and weight gain, number of resorptions, number of corpus lutheum etc) and fetal parameters (weight, morphology, bone and visceral evaluation etc) will be evaluated according to classical protocols of teratogenicity.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SOUZA-SILVA, E. M.; ALVES, R. B.; SIMON, K. A.; HUEZA, I. M.. Crack cocaine smoke on pregnant rats: Maternal evaluation and teratogenic effect. HUMAN & EXPERIMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, v. 39, n. 4, DEC 2019. (16/17050-9)