The Effects Of Danshen During Pregnancy On Fetal Cardiovascular Functions And Oxygen Metabolism

Objective: To determine the effect of intravenous danshen in maternal sheep on fetal cardiovascular functions and fetal blood oxygen metabolism.Method: The present study used chronically prepared sheep fetal model in the conscious and unstressed animals, and did in vivo testing for fetal systolic pressure (SP), diastolic pressure (DP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), systolic duration, and diastolic duration in utero. In addition, both maternal and fetal blood samples were collected before injection of the drug (during baseline period) and after administration of dansheng. Blood samples were analyzed by Nova analyzer for blood PH, PO2, PCO2, hemoglobin, hemotecrit, glucose levels, lactic acid, Na+, K+, and Cl- concentrations were also measured.Results: There was no significant change in fetal SP, DP, MAP, HR, systolic duration, and diastolic duration between and after intravenous administration of three different doses of dansheng (200, 400, and 800 mg/10ml) (All P>0.05). Compared to the control group (intravenous 0.9% NaCl solution, 10 ml), intravenous dansheng in maternal sheep also did not cause any significant change of fetal cardiovascular indexes measured. In addition, maternal injection of dansheng did not produce any change in cardiovascular responses in pregnant sheep either.Intravenous dansheng had no effects on both maternal and fetal blood PH, PO2, PCO2, hemoglobin, hemotecrite, glucose, lactic acid. Maternal and fetal blood Na+, K+, and Cl- concentrations were also not changed before and after administration of danshen.Conclusion: The results demonstrated that using danshen in maternal sheep during pregnancy had no significant effects on fetal cardiovascular functions and oxygen levels in utero. This provides new information from in vivo study in the conscious fetal model that danshen administrated in pregnant mothers had no negative influence on fetal cardiovascular responses and blood oxygen, which should be useful for guide clinical practice of using the Chinese medicine under condition of pregnancy.