Teratogenic effects of nicotine on rat skin.
BACKGROUND
Nicotine is a well-known toxic alkaloid substance with several teratogenic effects. In animal studies it has been observed that nicotine led to intrauterine growth retardation and intrauterine growth abnormalities including anancephaly, neonatal death and low birth weight. However, the teratogenic effects of nicotine have not previously been observed on skin.


OBJECTIVE
We performed a study in order to observe histologically the teratogenic effects of nicotine on rat skin.


METHODS
Ten female Wistar-albino rats were separated into two groups, a control and an experimental group (n = 5). After the first week of pregnancy, the experimental group of rats were given nicotine intraperitoneally in a dosage of 2 mg/kg for two weeks.


RESULTS
Striking teratogenic effects were observed in the experimental group of neonatal rats. Increased mitotic activity was noticed in the basal cells and hypertrophic epithelial cells were prominent in the epidermis. Chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate, fibrosis and extravasation of the erythrocytes were found in the dermis and hair follicles.


CONCLUSIONS
Considerable teratogenic effects of nicotine were observed histologically on newborn rat skin.
Inalöz
H S
HS
Department of Dermatology, University of Gaziantep Faculty of Medicine, Kilis Yolu Uzeri, Turkey.
Inalöz
S S
SS
Deveci
E
E
Eralp
A
A
D000818:Animals; D004817:Epidermis / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000473:pathology; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008938:Mitosis; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D012868:Skin Abnormalities / Q000139:chemically induced*
D009538:Nicotine