EFFECTS OF FUROSEMIDE TREATMENT ON THE RENAL CORTEX OF PREGNANT RATS. HISTOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS
Metwally Abd-El-Bary Mansoor, Amal Alshahat Ibrahim and Azza S. Mohamed*
Departments of Anatomy and Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology*, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University
Background: Furosemide is a potent diuretic which acts primarily by inhibiting electrolyte absorption not only in the loop of Henle but also in the proximal and distal convoluted tubules. It is more toxic as compared with its degradation products. Objective: The study was carried out to evaluate the histological changes in the renal cortex of pregnant rats resulting from furosemide treatment. Material and Methods: Two primary groups of adult rats, each consisted of 3 males and 12 females were used. After mating, two secondary groups, each consisted of 5 pregnant rats were divided into control group injected with saline and treated one, given daily intramuscular injections of furosemide 1 mg/kg body weight/day for 7 successive days from 13th of pregnancy onwards. Results: Some glomeruli showed dilatation of Bowman's space or appearance of clefts in their cellular content with decrease in secondary foot processes of podocytes. Other glomeruli are dilated and show retraction of their cellular content to one side of the renal corpuscle or completely disappeared. Some renal convoluted tubular cells show thickening of their basal lamina and destructive features in their nuclei and cytoplasm. Conclusion: Furosemide causes toxic histological effects on the glomeruli and renal convoluted tubules of the kidney during pregnancy. So, kidney function must be monitored during furosemide therapy and decrease in the dose or shift to another types of diuretics may be essential during the course of treatment.
June 2011