Effect Of Oral Administration Of Alcohol On The Developing Rat Embryos

Abstract

Pregnant rats were forced to ingest 0.015 ml of 25% ethanol/gm body weight daily starting from day 7 (D7-group) or day 9 (D9-group) until day 15 of gestation. The number of surviving embryos significantly decreased and more embryos were resorbed in alcohol-treated groups. The mean weight of ethanol-and saline-treated surviving embryos did not differ significantly. Alcohol administration in the D7-group produced exencephaly and hydrocephaly while in D9-group only hydrocephalic abnormality occurred. Alcohol treatment in both groups produced destruction mainly in the neuroepithelium of the cerebral cortex. Numerous degenerating cells and necrotic fragments were observed in the cerebral cortex of D7-group. Moreover, the cytoplasm of the neuroepithelial cells of cerebral cortex of D7-and D9-groups was highly vacuolated.