HEPATOTOXIC CHANGES INDUCED BY PRENATAL ADMINISTRATION OF ZIDOVUDINE IN SWISS ALBINO MICE

Amit Nayak, Mandavi Singh and Anand Mishra

ABSTRACT
Introduction – Zidovudine is the first anti retroviral agent approved by FDA for treatment of HIV. Now a day it is used along with other anti retro viral agents to prevent maternal to child transmission. But its safety margin is yet to be ascertained.
Materials and methods – Pregnant albino mice was given zidovudine in the dose of 50mg/kg, 100mg/kg, 50mg/kg by oral gavage from 6th -16th day of gestation and control mice was fed distilled water during the same period. On day 17th maternal blood was collected for liver function test. On day 19th the mice was sacrificed and foetuses were taken out .The liver of foetuses were dissected, formalin fixed, processed and stained with H&E and PAS for histological study.
Results- The treated foetal liver shows fatty degeneration, hepatocytic degradation and loss of cytoarchitecture in a dose dependent manner. The serum bilirubin and transaminases were increased and serum albumin was decrease in dams denoting toxic effect of this drug on the mother. 
Conclusion- Zidovudine causes hepatoitoxicity in both mother and fetus if given to mother during pregnancy and should be used with caution in pregnancy.

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