Histomorphological liver analysis of rats and their fetuses exposed to alcohol during gestation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: this study aimed to relate the use of alcohol during pregnancy with hepatic morphological changes, both in the mother as in fetuses, through microscopic analysis of histological sections by routine techniques. Methods: the authors used 15 pregnant Wistar rats divided into three groups: Alcohol, Water and Control. It has been administered ethyl alcohol and distilled water to females of Alcohol and Water, respectively, on the 7th, 8th and 9th days of gestation. At the time of collection of fetuses, they have been measured and weighed, and then the livers of these and their mothers have processed and analyzed on slides using the method of hematoxylin and eosin staining for both, and Masson Trichrome for the mother. Results: there has been no statistically significant difference about the number of fetuses and the number of megakaryocytes in the three groups (p > 0.05). However, concerning fetal weight, the comparisons among Water versus Control and Water versus Alcohol have showed significant differences (p < 0.001). Furthermore, significance has been noted in the comparisons among the lengths of the cranio-caudal fetal Alcohol versus Control groups (p < 0.05). Using the qualitative analysis of the livers of the mothers, we have observed the presence of inflammatory infiltrate, normal pattern of hepatocytes cords, portal triad and distribution of collagen fibers besides absence of steatosis in all three groups. Conclusions: alcohol is a known teratogenic agent, however, in this study the dose and duration of exposure to this agent have not been enough to generate morphological changes in the fetuses and mothers livers, only resulting in impairment of fetal morphometric parameters (weight and length craniocaudal).