Influence of Adriblastin and Bleomycin on Wistar rat mothers and fetus development

Introduction. Gestation is a very sensitive time both to mother and child. Any substance, factor, or environmental condition disturbing homeostasis may cause congenital defects, anomalies or even death. Teratology evaluates those potential factors and their influence. Also, medicinal products used during pregnancy may be teratogenic. Adriblastin, also known as Doxorubicin, and Bleomycin are widely used cytostatic drugs in oncology. Aim. Aim of this study was to evaluate the embryotoxic effects of Doxorubicin and Bleomycin in an animal model. Materials and methods. Fertilised Wistar rat females were given each drug intraperitoneally between the 8th and 15th gestation day, and compared to control group receiving placebo (distilled water, 0.9% NaCl). Another group received acetyl salicylic acid, as a model, well known teratogen. Changes in mothers’ weight from baseline, implantation of embryos, any discrepancies in mothers wombs and health as well as defects in fetuses were evaluated and compared. Fetus skeletons were stained by Dowson’s method to visualise bone defects. Results and conclusion. Both Adriblastin and Bleomycin were teratogenic, producing significantly more embryo absorptions, and fetal defects compared to placebo. The effects of the two cytostatics were similar to the model teratogen acetyl salicylic acid.