RESUMO
The present study deals with the effects of the organophosphorous insecticide curacron on the hepatic, renal and pulmonary tissues of mice fetuses. Fourty pregnant females were divided into four groups, 10 individuals each. The 1st group served as control group. The individuals of the 2nd and 3rd groups were given oral dose of curacron 14.4 and 28.8 mg/kg, respectively on day 7 of gestation. The 4th group was given 14.4 mg/kg for 8 successive days from day 7 to day 14 of gestation. At the 18th day of pregnancy, females from both the control and treated groups were sacrificed and samples of hepatic, renal and pulmonary tissues were taken from the fetuses. The liver of the 18-days-old fetuses of all experimental groups showed different phases of venous congestion, disorganization of the hepatic lobules, fatty degeneration and necrosis. The kidney of curacron-treated groups showed venous congestion, cloudy swelling, and necrosis of the epithelial cells lining the kidney tubules. Moreover, the lungs of the different treated groups showed dilation and congestion of the blood vessels, thickening of the interalveolar septa and scattered cell debris in the lumens of the alveoli. Consequently, cumulative doses of curacon obviously affect hepatic, renal and pulmonary fetal tissues and extreme caution should be considered by pregnant women to avoid its hazardous effects on their fetuses