SOME EFFECTS OF ANTICOAGULANTS AND PROTAMINE ON THE ENDOGENOUS LIPÆMIA OF PREGNANCY

¹ The Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, Birmingham

1. The endogenous lipæmia in the rat during the last triempster of pregnancy is briefly described.

2. The visible lipæmia of pregnancy is abolished by heparin in vivo but not in vitro. Decreases of plasma fatty acids in excess of 200 mg. per cent may occur. The decreases also occur in whole blood.

3. These effects of heparin are not obtained with dextran sulphate.

4. Protamine has no effect on the visible lipæmia, or on the total fatty acid content of the lipæmic serum.

5. These findings are discussed in relation to the effect of the drugs used on alimentary lipæmia.

6. Simple proportionality between prolongation of clotting time and fall in lipæmia does not exist after treatment of the pregnant animals with heparin and dextran sulphate.

7. A heavy precipitate may form in serum, plasma and whole blood drawn from pregnant rats after injection of heparin or dextran sulphate. Its occurrence is not necessarily associated with that of the endogenous lipæmia. The precipitate contains lipid.

Note:

I wish to thank Professor A. C. Frazer for his encouragement, Dr. J. A. H. Waterhouse for useful discussion of the statistical problems, Mr. G. A. Rowe for assistance with the photographic work, and the Medical Research Council for financial assistance.