Effect of the formalin vapors on the hepatocyte

ABSTRACT

Formalin is an important material used as fixative agent in the dissecting rooms of the medical schools and research institutes, sterilizing agent to the patient rooms in the hospitals, also as adhesives material in plastic manufactures. Formalin is highly volatile chemical material and potentially occupational exposed to its vapors are anatomists, histologists, pathologist, biologist, surgeons and medical students. The majority of the studies on the formalin vapors were done devoted to the effect of formation on the respiratory system but little attention to the effect of the formalin vapors on the liver, that the organ of detoxication. The study was performed to report the alteration of the hepatocyte structural and functions under effect of formation vapors inhalation. Forty healthy adult albino rats of both sexes, average weight [200 gms each] were used in this study and the hepatocyte structure and function were evaluated [1,2,3 months] under the effect of formation vapors inhalation. The hepatocyte structure and function effected from the first month under the effect of formalin vapors inhalation, at further periods of formalin vapors exposure, the degenerative changes affecting most of hepatocytes and the liver functions were decline