The protective influence of vitamin C against different skeletal malformations in prenatal embryos and postnatal newborns of female rats treated with indomethacin during pregnancy

Abstract

This study was carried out in the animal house laboratories of the Department of biology in the Faculty of Education for
Girls / University of Kufa from 1/6/2018 until 1/8/2018, for the purpose of demonstrating the possible preventive effects of
vitamin C against skeletal malformations in embryos in pregnancy for 20 days (prenatal) and postnatal newborns
respectively for pregnant female rats that treated with indomethacin with a concentration of 8.40 mg / kg.
In the current study, 40 female rats (aged 12 weeks) with a mean weight of (135.5 g) were employed and 40 fertile males
with age (12 weeks). The females were placed with males for matting, and after obtaining the required number of pregnant
female rats, which were divided into (4) main groups, each group contained 10 pregnant female rats. The first group was
treated with normal saline that was represented the control group, while the second group was administrated indomethacin
drug with a concentration of 8.40 mg / kg only, whereas the third group was subjected to vitamin C with concentration of
85 mg / kg only, and the fourth group was submitted to vitamin C with concentration of 85 mg / kg + indomethacin drug
with a concentration of 8.40 mg / kg.