The effects of aspirin-like drugs on the nutritional status of pregnant rats and offspring.

Previous studies have shown that salicylates and protein-calorie malnutrition independently compromise maturation and growth of infants. In the present study, pregnant rats were fed normal-and low-protein diets with and without aspirinlike drug treatments. The effects of a low-protein (8 percent) diet included decreases in total serum proteins in both dams and their offspring. Decreases in weight gains, serum albumin and globulin levels, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were detected in dams fed the low-protein diet without evidence of changes of these variables in their offspring.Salicylamide treatment was associated with decreased BUN values, and aspirin treatment was associated with decreased body-weight gains in both pregnant rats and offspring of dams fed the normal (25 percent) protein-control diet. Although aspirin treatment decreased weight gains, total serum protein and albumin levels, and BUN values, salicylamide decreased only the serum albumin levels of dams fed the normal-protein diet. Salicylamide treatment of dams fed the normal-protein diet was associated with decreased serum globulin levels, increased serum albumin-globulin ratios, and increased body-weight gains in their offspring.Both aspirin and salicylamide treatments were associated with decreased total serum protein levels in dams fed a low-protein diet. Aspirin treatment increased serum globulin levels and decreased serum albumin-globulin ratios in off-spring of dams fed the low-protein diet. The only effect of salicylamide treatment on offspring of dams fed the low-protein diet was decreased BUN values.It is concluded that aspirin treatment of pregnant rats was associated with more deleterious effects on their offspring than salicylamide treatment. Low maternal dietary protein conditions exacerbated effects associated with both salicylamide and aspirin treatments.