Abstract:
Exposure to drugs during pregnancy is a major concern, as some teratogenic compounds
can influence normal foetal development. Although the use of drugs during pregnancy
should generally be avoided, exposure of the developing foetus to teratogens may occur
unknowingly since these compounds may be hidden in products that are being marketed as
“all natural”. The aim of the current study was to investigate the possible teratogenic and
cellular effects of sibutramine - a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor used in the
treatment of obesity - on the heart and liver tissue of chick embryos. Ephedrine was used as
a positive control. The chick embryo model was chosen because it has been used in
studying developmental and experimental biology and teratology with great success. The embryos were exposed to three different concentrations of sibutramine and ephedrine
respectively. The results obtained revealed that both compounds exhibited embryotoxicity
when compared to the control groups. Liver and heart tissue of the exposed embryos was
severely affected by these compounds in a dose-related manner. Morphology similar to that
of muscle dystrophy was observed in the heart, where the muscle tissue was infiltrated by
adipose and connective tissue. Severe liver steatosis was also noted. A more in-depth
investigation into the molecular pathways involved might provide more information on the
exact mechanism of toxicity of these products influencing embryonic development.
