Cocaine alters placental production of thromboxane and prostacyclin.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that cocaine alters placental prostaglandin production in vitro.

STUDY

DESIGN

Placentas were obtained from healthy women (n = 6) after normal vaginal delivery at term. Placental explants (300 mg) were incubated in duplicate at 37 degrees C in the presence of 0, 30, 300, or 3000 ng/ml cocaine. Thromboxane and prostacyclin production was measured by radioimmunoassay of their stable metabolites (thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha) at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours. Analysis of variance with Newman-Keuls test was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Cocaine increased thromboxane production in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.001) and decreased prostacyclin production (p < 0.05). Cocaine increased the ratio of thromboxane/prostacyclin production (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Cocaine alters the placental production of prostaglandins in vitro, favoring thromboxane production, which may cause vasoconstriction and decrease uteroplacental blood flow.