Acetazolamide teratogenesis in Wistar rats: potentiation and antagonism by adrenergic agents

Acetazolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, induced right forelimb ectrodactyly in rat fetuses when the mothers were treated on late day 10 and early day 11 of gestation. Coadministration of the selective alpha-1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine significantly increased the incidence of acetazolamide-induced right forelimb ectrodactyly while failing to induce the lesion when administered alone. Pretreatment with the alpha-adrenergic antagonists phenoxybenzamine and prazosin prevented the phenylephrine-induced increase in right forelimb ectrodactyly. In addition, treatment with either phenoxybenzamine or prazosin in the absence of stimulation with phenylephrine significantly decreased the incidence of acetazolamide-induced ectrodactyly. The results suggest an adrenergic component in acetazolamide teratogenesis. Alterations in uterine blood flow are discussed as a plausible mechanism for the modification of the incidence of ectrodactyly by these adrenergic agents.