EFFECTS OF DEPOT-MEDROXYPROGESTERONE ACETATE ON WHITE ALBINO RAT’S LIVER: A HISTOLOGICAL STUDY

Samjhana Sharma*, Dr. Tripti Shakya and Dr. Presha Baral

ABSTRACT

Depot- medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), the progesterone only contraceptive is widely used and has provided women a way for safe fertility as well as emancipating women from unwanted conception. DMPA is an aqueous suspension of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), a synthetic analog of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and variant of the human hormone progesterone. Like other drugs DMPA has its own merits and demerits. Despites of its huge acceptance it‟s not free of controversy and contraindication. Even though, it is mainly confined to reproductive tract. However, its effects are also seen in kidney, intestine, hypothalamus and liver. Present study aimed to see the histopathology of the DMPA treated rat‟s liver for assessing the hepatotoxicity. The histological architecture of liver of the DMPA treated rat was found to be distorted. Hemorrhage, congestion of the central vein and dilatation of the hepatic sinusoids were remarkable in the DMPA treated rat. The histological distortions were dose and duration dependent. This concludes that long term use of DMPA may be toxic to liver. So DMPA use should be under the supervision of the medical personnel.

Keywords: DMPA, congestion, sinusoids, accentuation, hemorrhage.