Histological effects of gentamicin intake during pregnancy on the liver and kidney of the fetus and mother of albino rat

ABSTRACT

Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic which is widely used in the treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections. The aim of this study is to demonstrate its effects not only on the liver and kidney of the pregnant female but also to show its effects on the developing liver and kidney of the fetus. In this work, a total of 40 albino rats were used. Twenty animals used as control groups for the mothers and fetuses. The other twenty were used as treated groups with gentamicin for the mothers and fetuses. Gentamicin in a dose of 100 mg / kg / day was given subcutaneously to the albino rats. The treatment was continuous for six days strating form 15-21 day of pregnancy. After that, the mothers and their fetuses were sacrified. Specimens of kidney and liver of some animals were processed and embedded in paraffin for routine histological examination after staining with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Liver and Kidney specimens of other animals were prepared for ultrastructural study. The mother kidney shows areas of focal hemorrhage with degeneration of the proximal convoluted tubules. The fetal kidney shows increase in the immature renal corpuscles. It also shows focal areas of tubular dilation with disruption of their lining epithelium. The mother liver shows distorted hepatic architecture. The blood sinusoids and bile ducts are dilated. There is also centrilobular inflammatory cellular infiltration. The fetal liver cells have vacuolated cytoplasm with a lot of lysosomes. From the findings observed in the present work, it xould be concluded that Gentamicin is the antibodies which had adverse reactions to the kidney and liver of both mother and fetus. It is thus recommended that it should be used with caution during pregnancy and only for strong clinical indications in the absence of suitable alternative