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THE OXYTOCIC EFFECT OF ACRIDINE DYES AND THEIR USE IN TERMINATING MID‐TRIMESTER PREGNANCIES
Author(s) -
Lewis B. V.,
Pybus A.,
Stilwell J. H.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1971.tb00349.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pregnancy , misoprostol , abortion , obstetrics , amniotic fluid , chemistry , fetus , gynecology , biology , genetics
Summary The oxytocic effect of an acridine dye, aminacrine hydrochloride, has been investigated on isolated strips of myometrium from pregnant and non‐pregnant human uteri. Contractions were induced when the muscle strips were perfused with an aqueous solution of aminacrine at a concentration of 10 –5 –10 –4 M. 50 ml. of an 0.1 per cent solution of aminacrine was introduced into the extra‐amniotic space in 23 women in order to induce therapeutic abortion in the mid‐trimester. All the patients aborted after a mean induction delivery interval of 59 hours. Most patients required a pitocin infusion to complete the abortion. The incidence of side effects and infection was minimal. The plasma and urinary levels of the dye were measured and found to be very low. It is concluded that the extra‐amniotic injection of aminacrine is a safe, easy and effective method of terminating mid‐trimester pregnancies.