Histology of rat placentas treated with methylhydrazine Ro 4-6467.

The placenta is a vascular organ within the uterus, connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord; it is the structure through which the fetus is nourished. In the rat placenta, three regions can be identified: the decidua basalis, the basal zone, and the labyrinth. In the present work, doses of 4.2 mg/kg of Natulán (Roche), as used for human therapy, were administered orally to pregnant rats. The number of glycogenic cells from the basal zone of the placenta was increased, which allows us to suggest that Natulán causes an inhibition of glycolysis, by blocking the metabolism of the placenta, as proposed by Warburg.