[Adrenergic tocolytics--their effects on lipoperoxidation in the brain]

As a sequence of our previous investigations and published results dealing with the inhibitory effect of the BETA-mimetic Tocolyticum (Partusisten) on the blood plasma levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3), we performed experiments where the possible inducing effect of BETA-mimetic drugs (epinephrine and isoprenaline) on the lipoperoxidative processes in the brain and liver was studied. (Adult rats-females.) Lipoperoxidation was tested by the method of Ohkawa and al. [21] based on changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) production. The intraperitoneal administration of isoprenaline (0.15 mg/kg body weight) increases significantly the MDA production in the cerebral cortex as well as in the medulla oblongata of rats (females-Wistar). Isoprenaline induces a small but significant decrease of MDA in the liver. The intraperitoneal administration of epinephrine (0.15 mg/kg body wight) raises significantly the MDA production in the cerebral cortex as well as in the medulla oblongata. In hepatic tissue changes in MDA levels were not observed. The mentioned data indicate that the decrease of polyunsaturated fatty acids (esp. of n-3 series) in plasma of human newborns and their mothers treated by BETA-mimetic tocolytic drugs (as Partusisten), could be associated with the significant higher lipoperoxidation. The clinical use of such tocolytic drugs has to be discussed also from this point of view.