POMEGRANATE JUICE
AMELIORATES ATENOLOL TOXIC EFFECTS ON EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT
S. Zafar1, Asmatullah1and C. Ara1, *
1Department of
Zoology, New
Campus, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
*Corresponding author’s email: dr.chamanara@yahoo.com; chaman.zool@pu.edu.pk
ABSTRACT
Hypertension is an
increasing issue experienced by females during pregnancy. Gestational
hypertension is treated by many antihypertensive drugs including methyldopa,
beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers. Atenolol is usually the drug of
choice by obstetricians among beta blockers. Objective of this study was to
find the fetotoxic effects of Atenolol in albino mice and protective potential
of pomegranate juice against potential atenolol toxicity. Embryotoxic effect of
atenolol was determined in pregnant mice, force fed orally through gavage three
different atenolol concentrations (3.30µg/g, 2.50µg/g, 1.65µg/g body weight of
treated mice, respectively) from 6th -12th day of gestation. Other three groups
were made for antidote study and 50% diluted pomegranate juice was provided to
each group along with above mentioned atenolol concentrations as an antidote. During
osteogenesis, fetuses in atenolol exposure groups have varying degree of
incomplete ossification in dose dependent way. Histological analysis had also
shown teratogenic potential of atenolol in developing mice embryos. The present
study revealed that administration of atenolol during organo-genetic period upset
prenatal development in mice fetuses. To minimize the toxic effects of drug,
pomegranate juice was provided to experimental mice. Positive outcomes
represented that pomegranate juice has protective potential against Atenolol
induced fetotoxicity.
Key
words: Atenolol, Fetotoxity, Hypertension, Ameliorative, Pomegranate. |