[Effects of a vasodilator, nicergoline, on fetal and placental growth in diabetic gestating rats (author's transl)].

Female rats rendered diabetics following administration of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg/day I.V.) on the fifth day of pregnancy received daily injections of nicergolin) 200 micrograms/kg/day or 400 micrograms/kg/day I.P.) from day 5 through day 19 of gestation, when animals were sacrificed. It was found that nicergoline significantly reduces the frequency of abortions increases the weight of foetuses and placentas when compared to control diabetic rats. These effects are due neither to a maternal or foetal reduction of glycemia nor to modifications of insulinemia or the levels of sexual hormones of the mother. Histopathological examination of the placentas confirms the positive effect of nicergolin and appears to be due to a direct vascular action.