Experimental liver cirrhosis does not influence reproductive performance of female rats and development of hepatic biotransf ormation in their offspring

Abstract

Experimental hepatic cirrhosis was produced in virgin female Wistar rats by thioacetamide (TAA) administration with the drinking water from the 4th up to the 6th month of life. Mating occurred 31 +/- 3 d after cessation of TAA treatment. At the time the body mass of cirrhotic rats was not different from that of untreated controls. Body mass gain during pregnancy, length of gestation, litter size and body mass of the newborns were not influenced by experimental cirrhosis. Lactation seems to be slightly decreased in TAA-dams in the first 5 postnatal days, reflected by lower growth rates of TAA- and control-pups nursed by TAA- in comparison to control-dams. Somatic development (body mass) and hepatic biotransformation (ethylmorphine N-demethylation and ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation) were not different in the TAA- and control-offspring up to adulthood. Liver mass was enhanced in TAA-offspring at birth, but not any longer in 10-d-old and older rats.