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 B-2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F-1 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.