Histological features of the uterine tubes following administration of aqueous tobacco extract in female albino rats

Abstract

Background and aim: Tobacco consumption among women of reproductive age is associated with more than twofold increase in the risk of tubal ectopic pregnancy. Established adverse effects of tobacco on reproduction include infertility, low birth weight and miscarriages. This study aimed at investigating the effects of liquid tobacco extract on the mucosa of the uterine tubes using rat models.

Materials and Methods: Thirty rats (6 baseline, 12 experimental and 12 control) were used in the study. The baseline rats were sacrificed at the start of the experiment. The rats in the experimental group received 30mg/kg body weight of the extract while the rats in the control group received normal saline. On days 15 and 30, 6 rats from the control group and 6 from the experimental group were respectively euthanized, perfused and their uterine tubes harvested for processing and embedding in paraffin wax. Photomicrographs were taken and analyzed.

Results: A decrease in the mucosal thickness, height and number of the mucosal folds was observed in the experimental group. A squamous transformation of the normal columnar epithelium of the uterine tubes was also observed.

Conclusion: These microscopic alterations may underlie the functional impairments of the uterine tube associated with tobacco consumption (whether by smoking or chewing), increasing the risk of ectopic pregnancy and infertility.