Effect of methotrexate onsStillbirth, weight of mice embryos and histopathological changes of embryonic liver
Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid antagonist, which is widely used as a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent for malignancies as well as for the treatment of psoriasis, rheumatic diseases and cancer. On another hand, it might cause serious or life-threatening toxicities on liver, lungs, kidney, and i...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/50341/1/50341_-_Effect_of_Methotrexate_on_Stillbirth%2C_Weight_of_Mice_Embryos_and.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/50341/ |
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| Summary: | Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid antagonist, which is widely used as a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent for
malignancies as well as for the treatment of psoriasis, rheumatic diseases and cancer. On another hand, it might
cause serious or life-threatening toxicities on liver, lungs, kidney, and immune system. The present study was
conducted to assess the harmful effect of the low dose of MTX on the stillbirth, weight of the mice embryos,
and to determine the histopathological changes of the embryonic liver during two gestational ages. Thirty mice
were divided into to three groups, of 10 pregnant mice each. The fi rst group (G1) was injected low dose of
MTX (0.02 mg/kg), at days 4, 5 and, 6 of gestation. The second group (G2) injected by same dose of MTX
at days 14, 15 and 16. The third group (G3) served a control group and injected with 0.5 ml of normal saline.
Pregnant rats sacrifi ced on gestational day 7 and 17 of gestation. Embryo weight and incidence of intrauterine
death were recorded. Twenty mice embryos were fi xed in the Bouin fi xative and processed for histological
study. The result showed a signifi cant (P< 0.05) decrease in embryos’ weight at days 7 and a highly signifi cant
reduction (P< 0.01) at days17 of gestation compared with control groups. In addition, there was a highly
signifi cant increase (P< 0.01) in mortality rate that was observed in the embryos of MTX treated pregnant mice.
The histological examination showed fatty changes, degeneration, variability in nuclear size and staining, and
necrosis of hepatocytes. These results confi rm that administration of low dose MTX in early pregnancy has
teratogenicity effect on liver development. |
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