Effects of Alcohol
Consumption during Pregnancy and/or Lactation on the Morphology of
Thyroid Gland in Male Wistar Rat Offspring
J. E. Onu*,B. O. Oke1, P. C.
Ozegbe1 and J. O. Oyewale2
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, UsmanuDanfodiyo
University, Sokoto;
1Department
of Veterinary Anatomy; 2Department of
Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Ibadan,
Nigeria *Corresponding author: josephatedoga@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract
The investigation was conducted to document the
effect of alcohol on the morphology of thyroid gland of male rat offspring whose
dams consumed alcohol during pregnancy and/or lactation.Seventy-five female rats divided into three groups, 1, 2, and 3, of 25
each and their offspring were used. Group 1 served as control (C), group 2 was
exposed to alcohol during pregnancy and lactation (APL) while group 3 was
exposed to alcohol during lactation only (AL). At
day 35 and 49 postpartum 5 male rat offspring were randomly selected from the
three groups and sacrificed.After the
sacrifice, the thyroids were dissected out and their absolute and relative
weights determined. Thereafter, the thyroid tissues were prepared for routine
histological examination. The results of the investigation showed significant
reduction (P<0.05) in the weights of the thyroid and thyroid follicles. There
was also disorganization and desquamation of follicular cells. Our findings
suggest that alcohol intake during pregnancy and/or lactation could be injurious
to the thyroid glands of the offspring.
Key words: Alcohol;Lactation;Pregnancy;Thyroids;Wistar rat offspring