[Effect of vincristine on molar development and jaw growth in rats]

A cystostatic of group Vinca-alcaloides, Vincristine, is often used in chemotherapy. As a microtubular poison it reacts with microtubular molecules of cell cytoplasma and in response to dose administrated decelerates or stops cell division. Since the information about the effect of this drug on molar teeth has not been found in available literature the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vincristine on tooth development and jaw growth in rats. The experiment was carried out on Wistar rats of both sexes. Vincristine (Oncovin, "Lilly") was injected to animals in the dose of 0.1 mg/kg b.w. seven or eight days following birth. Treated and control animals were sacrificed on the 24th postnatal day. Radiographs of the mandibule were used to study tooth development. The morphometric examination concerned the following parameters: in maxillar frontal and posterior arc width and height; vertical and sagital dimension as well as length of incisive crown in the mandibule. The results of the analysis suggested that the teeth of treated rats were retarded in development compared to the control animals. Morphometric investigations showed that in treated rats both jaws were decelerated in growth in comparison to the control group but with no statistical significance. It should be emphasized that a 16-day-period was too short that full efficet of Vincristine should be established in rats and lead to a result which could suggest a certain molar development and jaw growth.