title: Effects of diphenylhydantoin on postnatal ontogenesis in the rat. Ultrastructural analysis of Purkinje neurons and hepatocytes.
abstract: An ultrastructural analysis of Purkinje neurons and hepatocytes was carried out at several stages of postnatal ontogenesis in rats born from dams administered diphenylhydantoin (DPH) during pregnancy and nursing. After DPH administration the signs of immaturity in the neurons both at cytoplasmic and nuclear level were particularly evident between the 4th and 17th day of postnatal life, while at the end of histogenesis the normal situation was recovered. Such delayed morphological maturation of the neurons is in agreement with the data showing that anticonvulsant drugs given during pregnancy slow down postnatal growth and mental development. At all stages examined, modifications, mainly concerning the distribution of glycogen and the increase in rough endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomes, were also observed in hepatocytes. The examination of the placebo group revealed some signs of delayed maturation in Purkinje neurons at early histogenetic stages and some modifications of the normal pattern in the hepatocytes. The rôle of gastric tube in drug administration needs to be verified further.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D010672:Phenytoin