Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: Effects on Foetal Parameters, Kidney andSpleen of the Dams

This study was conducted to investigate the histomorphological effect of the highly active antiretroviral therapy combination of Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine administration on kidney and spleen of pregnant wistar rats, fetal parameters and heamatological indices (white blood cell count and packed cell volume). Experiment was performed using animal models in Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Idi Araba, Lagos, Nigeria between February, 2012 to July, 2012. Cyclic female Sprague Dawley rats weighing 120 to 150g with at least three regular 4-day cycles were divided into four main groups after successful mating comprising of ten rats each. Group 1(G1) was used as control group and were treated with distilled water. Group 2 (G2) received 1.9mg/kg body weight of fixed dose combination of Zidovudine,Lamivudine and Nevirapine . Group 3 (G3) received 3.8mg/kg body weight of the fixed dose combination. Group 4 (G4) received 5.8mg/kg body weight of the fixed dose combination. The administration was done from 1-day of pregnancy to the 20th day of pregnancy. The maternal kidney, spleen and blood samples were taken for histo-morphologic and hematologic analysis in all groups. Foetal parameters such as the crown rump length, tail length and umbilical weight were also assessed. Results obtained revealed that the administration of the fixed dose combination of Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine to pregnant rats produces no significant difference in the body weight and fetal outcomes when compared with the control group. There was a significant increase in the white blood cell and a decrease in packed cell volume within the experimental groups from group 2 to group 4 when compared with the control group. Also, there was no significant difference in the histoarchitecture of the spleen and kidney between G1 and G2 whereas the G3 and G4 presents mild to moderate derangement of the histoarchitecture of the organs respectively. From the study it can be concluded that fixed dose combination of Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine do not have obvious/gross deleterious effects during pregnancy only at minimal dose.