A Survey of Norfloxacin Histopathological Effect on Development of Rat Fetus Heart

Norfloxacin is an antibiotic from fluoroquinolone with a wide range and widely used in various infectious disease. Nearly 600 teratogenic factors have been known that cause congenital disease in laboratory animal. One of this factors is drugs. The aim of this study was effect of Norfloxacin on development of rat fetus heart. In this study 4- month- age wistar rats weighted approximately 200 gram were used. Animals were housed in environmentally controlled room. A group of 3 female were caged with a single male overnight. Finding of vaginal plug on the following morning was regarded as a gestational day 0. Pregnant rats are divided into 2 groups (control and experiment). The first ones are fed just by rodent special food and the second ones are fed by rodent special food plus 70 mg/kg norfloxacin daily during pregnancy. After delivery tissue specimen from rat newborns heart dissected apart and prepared for light microscopy. The result showed that in the group receiving norfloxacin in compare with control group, myocardial cells were smaller and contain highly densed nuclei. To sum up the results show that the above mentioned drug could be transfered through placenta and affect on normal development of myocardial cells. These changes could have negative effect on function of mentioned organ after birth.