Research Article
Open Access
Study on Potential Teratogenic Effects of Antidepressant Drugs on the Development of Chick Embryos
Jyotsna Chawla’, Dr. Shampa Chakraborti”
' B.Sc Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Fergusson College, Pune-04.
PhD zoology (endocrinology and reproductive biology specialization), post doc in virology from
NIV (Pune), Assistant Professor (department of biotechnology, Fergusson College, Pune-04).
Jyotsna Chawla and Shampa Chakraborti. Study on Potential Teratogenic Effects of Antidepressant Drugs on _ the Development of Chick Embryos. Asian Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 03(11), 2015, 25-31.
Abstract
Background:
The use of antidepressant drugs has been on a rise. The aim of this study is to
reveal the harmful effects; these drugs can have on developing fetuses, when taken
by pregnant women. Thus, Chick embryos are used as developmental model
system to study the potential teratogenic effects of antidepressants.
Materials & methods:
Two antidepressant drugs namely Etizolam and Fluoxetine (Prozac) at 3 doses
(low, medium, high) were injected into 48 hours fertilized eggs through air-sac
route. A control group of eggs was injected with normal saline and maintained.
The effect of drugs on early development (after 11 days incubation), late
development (after 18 days incubation) and hatchability characteristics were
studied. Further biochemical analysis of treated tissues was carried out. This
included Agarose gel electrophoresis, quantification of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic
acid) by DPA (Diphenylamine) method, SDS-PAGE and protein quantification by
Bradford assay.
Results:
The effect of drugs on early development resulted in no growth and death of
embryos however effect on late development caused malformations and reduced
size compared to control embryos. Both drugs damaged DNA to different extents
and protein concentration was also greatly reduced.
Conclusion:
However Etizolam proved to be more toxic as it engendered more DNA damage
than Fluoxetine. Further, a difference in their mechanism of teratogenicity was
also inferred as response of cells to both the drugs was different. Thus, the use of
these antidepressant drugs should be avoided during pregnancy especially during
the first trimester and third trimester.
Keywords
antidepressants, teratogenic drug, Etizolam, Fluoxetine, fetal malformations, chick embryos.
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