Comparative effects of intrauterine instillation of analogues of quinacrine and tetracycline on uterine morphology in the rat.

Currently, intrauterine instillation of quinacrine hydrochloride is used to induce closure of the uterotubal junction in women, thus constituting a chemical method of sterilization. Questions regarding the safety of this drug have been raised. The purpose of the present study is to screen other drugs for their sterilizing potential by comparing quinacrine-induced changes in uterine morphology in the rat which have previously been correlated with decreased fertility with the changes induced by other drugs. The drugs tested include quinacrine-like compounds, namely chloroquine, primaquine and trimethoprim; and tetracycline and its analogues which are known sclerosing agents. The quinacrine-like drugs were relatively ineffective in producing uterine lesions similar to those of quinacrine, but like quinacrine, chloroquine and primaquine showed some toxicity. Tetracycline and its analogues produced quinacrine-like morphologic changes in the rat uterus and showed no toxicity for the doses tested. These results prompt further testing of tetracycline and its analogues as sterilizing agents.