M. Monga et al., COCAINE ALTERS PLACENTAL PRODUCTION OF THROMBOXANE AND PROSTACYCLIN, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 171(4), 1994, pp. 965-969
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that
cocaine alters placental prostaglandin production in vitro. STUDY DES
IGN: Placentas were obtained from healthy women (n = 6) after normal v
aginal delivery at term. Placental explants (300 mg) were incubated in
duplicate at 37 degrees C in the presence of 0, 30, 300, or 3000 ng/m
l cocaine. Thromboxane and prostacyclin production was measured by rad
ioimmunoassay of their stable metabolites (thromboxane B-2 and 6-keto-
prostaglandin F-1 alpha) at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours. A
nalysis of variance with Newman-Keuls test was used for statistical an
alysis. RESULTS: Cocaine increased thromboxane production in a dose-de
pendent manner (p < 0.001) and decreased prostacyclin production (p <
0.05). Cocaine increased the ratio of thromboxane/prostacyclin product
ion (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cocaine alters the placental production of
prostaglandins in vitro, favoring thromboxane production, which may c
ause vasoconstriction and decrease uteroplacental blood flow.