Effect of Clarithromycin administration during late gestational period on the pregnant albino rats and their fetuses

Background: Clarithromycin, a new macrolide antibiotic, is effective in the management of a wide range of clinical problems including outpatient treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, shortening the course of peptic ulcer disease associated with Helicobacter pylori infection and curing previously resistant respiratory infections in immune-compromised patients. The present study is planned to study the effect of clarithromycin on the pregnant female rats and their fetuses during the last gestational period stage. This study includes the effect of clarithromycin on therate of abortion, malformation of fetuses, skeletal, histological changes and DNA fragmentation of liver cells of pregnant rats and their fetuses. In the present study two groups of pregnant animals were used. The first group received distilled water from 15[th] to 19[th] days of gestation and used as control and sacrificed at 20[th] day of gestation. The other group is orally administered with 45mg/kgclarithromycin from 15[th] to 19[th] days and sacrifices at 20[th] day of gestation [the therapeutic dose]. The obtained results showed a significant decrease in maternal body weight gain and increase in the rate of abortion, resorption and growth retardation of fetuses.Fetuses of the treated group showed severe lack of ossification on the skull bones, phalanges and sternum bone as well as shortness in the ulna and radius bones. Histological studies of pregnant rats revealed congestion and dilatation of the central vein of the liver lobules and fatty degeneration of the hepatocytes with severe DNA fragmentation.In 20 day-fetuses, there were a marked increase of necrotic hepatocytes associated with increased average of megakaryocytes and periportal leukocytic infiltration

Histopathological and immunohistochemical changes induced by contraceptive pills in the cervix of female rabbits

Oral contraceptive pills [OCPs] are the most popular form of hormonal contraception in young women. The present study focused on evaluating the effects of two different contraceptive pills including combined pills [estrogen and progesterone] and mini pills [progesterone only] on the cervix of female rabbit. After three months of daily oral administration of these contraceptive pills the animals were sacrificed. The excised organs were dissected, processed and stained with H and E, PAS reaction and Masson's trichrome stain and orcein stain. This was followed by morphometric measurements and statistical study. This study revealed that contraceptive pills administration - specially the combined one - caused marked alterations in the form of hyperplastic cervical mucosal cells and hypertrophied muscular layer. Also, there was a significant increase in collagenous and elastic fibres content in the muscular layer of the cervix. There was also a statistically significant increase in PAS positive materials in the lumina of the mucosal glands of the cervix. All these changes were less marked in the case of mini pill treatment. Pills of progesterone only showed marked histopathological change, in the cervix as a contraceptive mean, but in less manner than the combined pills [estrogen and progesterone]

Histological and immunohistochemical study on the changes induced by contraceptive pills in the female rabbit's kidney

The mechanism for the development of overt hypertension due to the oral contraception ingestion remains unclear. Experimental evidence favors a role for the renin-angiotensin system. The present study focuses on evaluating the effect of two different contraceptive pills including combined pills [estrogen and progesterone] and mini pills [progesterone only] on the kidney of female rabbit. After three month of daily oral administration of these contraceptive pills the animals were sacrificed. The excised kidneys were dissected, processed and stained with H and E, PAS and Masson's trichrome and anti-angiotensin II immunohistochemical stains. This was followed by morphometric measurements and statistical study. This study revealed that contraceptive pills administration specially the combined one caused marked alterations in the form of damaged kidney tubules with cell swelling and loss of brush border and enlarged glomeruli with hypercellularity. Also, a statistically significant increase in collagenous content peritubular and peri and intraglomerular was observed. There was also a statistically significant increase in the anti-Angiotensin II immunoreactivity in renal tubules as well as intra-glomerular and in the interstitial cells. All these changes were less marked after mini pill treatment. Progesterone only pills could be safer on the kidney as a contraceptive mean when compared to combined pills