Abstract

Aim: The study was aimed to explore the protective effect of melatonin against silver nitrates induced toxicity in pregnant female rats.

Method and materials:  Twenty-four pregnant female rats were divided into four groups each group contained six rats weigh 180 to 200 g. Silver nitrates (Sigma Aldrich, USA) was given orally, dissolve in di-ionized water, at dose level 0, 50, 100 ppm equivalent to 1/20 and 1/10 of the LD50 recorded earlier from 6^th to 15^th days of gestation. On 21^st day of pregnancy, blood of dams and pups was collected for serum separation and all feti examination grossly and preserved in ethyl alcohol for skeletal examination and in bouin'ssolution for examination of visceral malformations.

Results: Silver nitrates at different doses were induced delayed ossifications of different bones as of skull bones, supraoccipital and interparital bone plates, sternbrae and fore limb phalanges, vertebrae and rib cage besides the fore and hind limb bones. Melatonin treated group shown no teratogenicity and retain tissue arectecture after combiened treatment with silver nitrates in pregnant female albino rats. The only feature noticed of melatonin treatment on feti was the symenterical length of all feti of each dam but was reduced the length of feti when compared to control group.

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