Oxygen Uptake of Human Placental Tissue as Affected by Selected Substrates and Drugs. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The rate of oxygen consumption of fresh human chorionic villi was measured by conventional manometric methods. The addition of dextrose or pyruvate did not influence the Q_O2 whereas succinate and hy droquinone increased the rate in proportion to their concentrations.

The Q_O2 of human placental tissue is depressed by merperidine, Amytal, scopolamine and diethylstilbestrol and stimulated by dinitrophenol. Morphine had no effect, while methadon stimulated respiration in low concentrations and depressed it at higher levels. None of the drugs exerted an effect in therapeutic concentrations.