研究地塞米松治疗妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症（intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy,ICP)的疗效，观察地塞米松对胎鼠垂体-肾上腺的影响。

妊娠15d大鼠皮下注射乙炔雌二醇（17-α-ethinylestradial,EE))建立ICP动物模型，并给予地塞米松治疗；检测各组孕鼠血浆皮质醇、垂体促肾上腺皮质激素(adrenoeorticotropic hormone，ACTH)、胆酸(glycocholic acid, GC)、碱性磷酸酶(alkaline phosphatase，ALP )、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(alanine aminotransferase，ALT )及总胆红素(total bilirubin，TBiL)的变化。

地塞米松治疗ICP大鼠后，有效地降低了血胆汁酸浓度和胎鼠死亡率，降低了胎鼠血皮质醇和ACTH浓度。

地塞米松治疗ICP有效，对胎鼠可能存在潜在影响。

To evaluate the effects of dexamethasone on pregnant rats with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) and the influence of desamethasone on the fetal pituitary-adrenal function.

ICP rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of 17-α-ethinylestradial (EE )-propylene glycol solution into rats at 15 d after gestation. After desamethasone treatment, changes of plasma cortisol, adrenoeorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in new-born rats, serum glycocholic acid (GC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) , total bilirubin (TBiL) , and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in pregnant rats were detected.

Treatment of pregnant rats of ICP model with desamethasone resulted in improvement of serological indexes of liver function of pregnant rats, significant decrease of serum GC level, and reduce of fetal death and stillbirth rates. However, the expression of ACTH, concentration of serum ACTH and cortisol in the rat fetal were found reduced in desamethasone-treated pregnant rats and the control rats.

Desamethasone is effective in treating pregnant rats with ICP but it may have side effects to fetal rats.