the study of morphine effects on microscopic structure of the placenta in mouse

Opioids consumption during pregnancy increase abortion. But the mechanisms that opioids increase abortion have been remained as a question. One of the mechanisms that may be caused to increase abortion is placental histological changes during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine histological changes after morphine consumption. Forty intact adult female Balb/c mice with two months-age, weighing 30-35 gr were used in this study. The animals were maintained at the animal house under controlled conditions (12 h light and dark cycle, 21°Cand 50% relative humidity). Then they were mated overnight with 20 fertile males of the same strain. The day on which spermatozoa were found in vaginal smear was designated as embryonic day 0(E0). The pregnant mice were divided in 4 groups (2 experimental and 2 control groups). Experimental group 1 was received daily 10mg/kg morphine for 10 days and Experimental group 2 was received daily 10mg/kg morphine for15 days. In Control grope, mice were injected 10mg/kg normal saline parallel to experimental grope as a placebo. After this, in both control and experimental gropes, mice were anesthetized and placentae were removed from the body. Then they were fixed in formalin for 48 hours. After routine histological processing and embedding in paraffin, all the specimens were cut in to 5 μm thickness sections and stained by Hematoxylin-Eosin. Then specimens were observed by light microscopy and photographs were taken. In experimental group1, two pregnant mice were died and one abortion was occurred. In experimental group 2, four mice were died and also two abortions were occurred. In control groups neither die nor abortion occurred. In experimental group 1 disruption of the placental villi were irregular and fibroblast cells were increased. In experimental group 2, intensive necrosis was seen. Our research was showed that abortion histological changes in placenta and significant neonate mortality rate and nervous system defect may be occurred after morphine consumptions.