Abstract

The aim of this study is to elucidate the effects of the therapeutic doses of topiramate on the placental structure of albino rats (one of the antiepileptic drugs).This study was conducted over a period of 6 months extending from October 1, 2011 to February 1, 2012. Thirty adult non pregnant female albino rats and 15 male ones of the same strains, weighing 150-200 grams, were purchased from the Animal House of the Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt. Thirty pregnant rats were used in this study and were classified in three groups: a) Control Group: consisted of 10 pregnant females with normal saline administration, b) Group one: consisted of 10 pregnant females with therapeutic dose of topiramate oral administration of 50mg /Kg body weight (Study Group I), and (c) Group two: consisted of 10 pregnant females with therapeutic dose of topiramate oral administration of 100mg /Kg body weight (Study Group II).The oral administration was done daily, from day one of pregnancy, for nineteen days of gestation. Light microscopic examination, using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E This study revealed that sections which were obtained from the study groups I & II showed multiple lesions that include decidual cells degeneration, hyaline deposition, particularly in decidual site, labyrinth zone and fetal blood vessels, Trophoblastic giant cells and spongiotrophoblasts had cytoplasmic vacuoles, presumably phagosomes, and pyknotic nucleus, the labyrinth layer of group I & II showed distortion of their plate-like architecture, deposition of more fibrinoid material and perivascular fibrosis and expensive areas of congestion and hemorrhagic in all placental layers. Therefore, topiramate induced dose independent structural changes in the placenta. So, it should be used with caution during pregnancy.