Effects of chronic stavudine exposure on liver, pancreas and kidneys of pregnant rats and their fetuses: morphological and biochemical aspects.

Objective: To study the morphological and biochemical effects on liver, pancreas and kidney of pregnant rats and their fetuses subjected to stavudine treatment.

Methods: Forty animals were distributed in four groups E1, E2, E3, and C (control) and received by gavage once a day 1, 3 or 9 mg/kg of stavudine in 2 mL distilled water, from days 1 to 20 of pregnancy. After this period, the animals were sacrificed; blood samples were collected for further determinations of AST, ALT, creatinine, urea, glucose and amylase.

Stavudine effects on rat pregnancy outcome.

Objective: Stavudine is an inhibitor of HIV reverse transcriptase and acts as a chain terminator during DNA synthesis. The aim of the study presented here was to evaluate the effects of stavudine during rat pregnancy.

Methods: Female rats were randomly divided into four treatment groups: GI (treated with the drug vehicle); GII; GIII; and GIV (treated with 1, 3 or 9 mg/kg of stavudine, respectively) (n = 25 pregnant rats for every group).