Induction of polycystic ovary in the rat by morphine

Morphine is clinically a strong analgesic drug and in view of substances abusing is a hazardous drug. Besides dozens of unknown facts, the morphine side effects are unknown on the reproductive system. This study aimed to provide a reliable document in relation to its power to induce the follicular cysts in rat. Virgin female Wistar rats (200-250 g) in diestrus phase of the sexual cycle received morphine (1-10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and chronically for 9 days, once a day. The rats in the control group received only saline (1 ml/kg). At the end of infusion period, the rats were operated and after biometrical examination, the ovaries samples were kept in formalin for histological study. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining was used to study the samples. The present original findings show that the ovarian samples obtained from rats receiving morphine significantly had thick-walled follicular cysts when compared with the control samples. Although the numbers of cysts were not different among the morphine-treated samples and the response to morphine was not affected by the drug dose, but, the aspect of the ovaries was as similar as those of the polycystic ones. Morphine can induce inflammatory effects in the body through interaction with selective opioid receptors. According to these results, the morphine can disrupt the reproductive axis and probably with the stimulation of pro-inflammatory nitric oxide system plays a role in infertility due to polycystic ovaries in the rat.