Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate possible harmful effects of formaldehyde (FA) exposure on the morphology of fetus liver and kidney development during pregnancy and also to determinate possible protective role of chrysin (CH) against these harmful effects. For this aim, after pregnancy was induced, 58 female rats were divided into 6 groups. Serum physiologic (SF) was injected to the Group I rats intraperitoneally (i.p.). 20 mg/kg CH was given to the Group II via gavage. 0.1 mg/kg FA was applied to the Group III (i.p.), 1 mg/kg FA was injected to Group IV (i.p.) 0.1 mg/kg FA was given to Group V i.p., and 20 mg/kg CH was given to the same group via gavage. 1 mg/kg FA was applied to Group VI i.p., and 20 mg/kg CH was given to the same group via gavage. Fetuses were taken from each pregnant rat with cesarean section on the 20th day of the pregnancy. The morphological analyses of the fetuses, liver and kidney; biochemical and histological analyses of the liver and kidney were performed. The fetal body, liver and kidney weight of the FA groups demonstrated a statistically significant decrease the compared to control group. Also the FA-1 group were observed histopathological changes on the fetus liver and kidneys. FA exposure causes harmful effects on fetus the liver and kidneys. CH reduces the negative effect on morphological variables statistically. Although CH is insufficient to fix the histopathological changes that occur in the liver, damaging effects that occur in the kidney decreased statistically.

Key words: Formaldehyde, chrysin, rat fetuses, liver, kidney