Effect of metronidazole on the C3H/HeJ mouse and growth of the C3HBA mammary adenocarcinoma.

Metronidazole (0.6 mg/gm) was injected intraperitoneally at 12 hour intervals for 10 days into C3H/HeJ mice with established C3HBA mammary adenocarcinomas. Tumor growth, total white cell count and body weight were decreased by 3 days. Heart rate and rectal temperature were depressed most following the initial injections but were less depressed by 10 days. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were not changed. Plasma assays of total protein, uric acid, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and calcium were not affected. It was not possible to separate the tumors treated with metronidazole from control tumors, based on cellular differences. Blood vessels in most of the tumors in the drug treated animals were larger and appeared engorged with blood.