Histomorphological comparison of rat placentas by different timing of chlorpromazine-administration

The effects of chlorpromazine-treatment timing on the development of the placenta in pregnant rats were examined. Chlorpromazine was administered intraperitoneally at 100 mg/kg on gestation day (GD) 11 (GD11-treated group), GD 13 (GD13-treated group) or GD 15 (GD15-treated group) into pregnant rats. All treated dams exhibited decreased body weight, prone position, hypothermia, loss or decrease of locomotor activity, etc. The fetal mortality rates were increased up to 42.9% in the GD11- and GD13-treated groups and up to 16.7% in the GD15-treated group. The embryo/fetal weight was on a declining trend from GD 16 onward, and the intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) rates on GD 21 were increased in all treated groups. The placental weight showed a declining trend from GD 15 onward in all treated groups. Histopathologically, apoptosis was detected 1 or 2 days after treatment, and led to hypoplasia in the labyrinth zone and metrial gland, and cystic degeneration in the basal zone on GD 21 in all treated groups. There was no difference in the histopathological lesions on GD 21 among the treated groups. Thus, it is considered that chlorpromazine-induced placental toxicity is characterized in that there is no obvious specific sensitive period from GD 11 to GD 15. Chlorpromazine induced a non-specific transient development retardation of the placenta by apoptosis independently of the cell proliferation period in each part/zone.