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Published on: July 13, 2014
Maternal diazepam exposure on brain ornithine decarboxylase and growth of offspring
Insights
Prenatal exposure to diazepam (a benzodiazepine) significantly inhibited brain ornithine decarboxylase activity and retarded offspring growth, indicating potential harm to early brain development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Benzodiazepines, including diazepam, are commonly prescribed medications.
- Concerns exist regarding the safety of prenatal exposure to certain medications.
- Understanding the impact of prenatal drug exposure on neurodevelopment is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of prenatal diazepam administration on brain ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and offspring growth in Sprague-Dawley rats.
- To assess the developmental pattern of ODC in the brain following prenatal diazepam exposure.
- To evaluate the general physical development of offspring exposed to diazepam in utero.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received oral diazepam (120 mg/kg/day) from gestational day 14 to day 20.
- Brain ODC activity and offspring body weight were measured from late fetal stages through early postnatal development.
- Enzyme activity assays and body weight measurements were conducted on offspring from treated and control groups.
Main Results:
- Diazepam significantly inhibited both prenatal and early postnatal brain ODC activity.
- The overall maturation pattern of brain ODC was largely unaffected, but early activity was suppressed.
- Offspring exposed to diazepam prenatally exhibited significantly retarded growth and lower body weights compared to controls.
- Normal ODC activity was observed in neonates aged 6 hours or older from the treated group.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal diazepam exposure can inhibit early brain development by suppressing ornithine decarboxylase activity.
- The drug significantly impacts the general growth and physical development of offspring.
- These findings underscore the need for caution when pregnant women use diazepam and other benzodiazepines.
Abstract:
The prenatal treatment of diazepam on the developmental pattern of brain ornithine decarboxylase and the general growth of offspring were studied. Diazepam (120 mg/kg/day) was administered orally to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats from day 14 to day 20 of gestation. The activity of brain ornithine decarboxylase and body weight of the offspring were measured from the late fetal stage to the early postnatal stage. It was found that diazepam inhibited both the prenatal and 4-hour postnatal ornithine decarboxylase activities, though the general maturation pattern of the enzyme in the brain was not much altered. It may indicate that diazepam inhibits early brain development. The enzyme activity fell off as it reached maturation. Prenatal treated neonates of 6-hour or older age group had the normal activities of brain ornithine decarboxylase. The general growth of the treated offspring was substantially retarded. Their body weights were very much lower than the control offspring. The results of the present study is an additional evidence that diazepam and other benzodiazepines should be used with great care in pregnant women.
