Effect of oral morphine on the liver of Wistar rat fetuses in the second week of development: a histopathological study

More than 90% of women use drugs during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate oral morphine-induced histopathological changes in Wistar rat fetuses’ liver. Animals were divided to 1 control and 3 drug level induced groups. 0. 1، 0. 2 and 0. 3 mg/ml of morphine sulphate (99. 98%) in drinking water (25 ml) were administered orally to pregnant rats from day 8 to 20. On gestation day 21، fetuses were removed surgically and after removing liver of fetuses، samples of tissue stained by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) method and studied under light microscope. The data evaluated by SPSS software، ANOVA and analysis varieties. In the experimental groups with dose 0. 1، 0. 2 and 0. 3 mg/ml of morphine، liver sections appeared with vacuolated hepatocytes، dilated sinusoids، and increased number of kupffer cells، lymphocytes and neutrophils. The results in experimental groups with doses 0. 2 and 0. 3mg/ml of morphine were significant comparing with control group (p≤ 0. 001). The results indicate that the lowest dose of morphine (0. 1mg/ml) induced very low toxicity in fetuses but the middle dose (0. 2mg/ml) and the high dose of morphine (0. 3mg/ml) induced adverse reactions. It is concluded that oral morphine sulphate induces significant histopathological changes in the liver tissue، and the severity of these changes increases with time، period and dosage