Tehran University Medical Journal

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Morphine is the most important alkaloid of opium family which is found as much as ten percent in opium, and is in two types the sulfate morphine and the hydrochloride morphine.
Materials and Methods: In this study morphological changes of uterus of surri mice due to oral consumption of sulfate morphine were studied. It was shown that, female surri mice following gradually increasing of morphine to water (0.1 and 0.01) mg/ml were depended to morphine. Female surri mice were classified in two age groups before puberty and depended to morphine during puberty. Each age group took morphine for 21 days. After finishing the period, the mice anesthetizing were weighted, then were anesthetizing and uterus was studied the length, width and apparent features.
Results&ConcIusion: In this study it was distinguished that length and width of uterine horn, between experimental and control groups, were significant (P< 0.01). Morphological changes such as anemia, the thinness and fragitidily walls of uterus and filiformity of uterine horns were observed.

 

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Background: Heroin is one of the opiates which is used, as the most addictive drugs, in Iran. Considering the damaging effects of these drugs on the health of opiate addicts, investigation on the effects of heroin used in Iran, on male genital indicators including daily sperm production and its development, which has an essential role in fertility, seems to be necessary.

Materials and Methods: A total of 70 Bulb/c mature male mice, were divided into 5 groups of control, [intact (n=10), sham I (n=10) sham II (n=10)] and experimental groups [I (n=20), II (n=20], and 50 days after addiction to heroin (50 mg/kg) via intra peritoneal injection (IP), 6 mice from each groups were selected and after euthenizing, the testes and epididymes were removed. The rate of daily sperm production (DSP), epididymic sperm preservation (ESP) and the rate of sperm motility were measured accurately.

Results: In the study of the effect of heroin on daily sperm production and sperm preservation between the control and experimental groups, no significant differences were observed. The effect of heroin on sperm motility between control and experimental groups, the difference were significant (P<0/05).

Conclusions: In this survey, it was indicated that, the heroin used in Iran, causes a decrease in healthy sperms of mice their motility, and consequently can affect on genital indicators.

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Background: Heroin is a simple derivative of morphine that is the most used drug in Iran among opioids. Its harmful effects on body organs have been studied. Considering the important effects on the genital system and fertility, studying the effects of heroin on testes seems to be necessary.     

Methods: In this study a total of 30 male mice (Balb/c) were selected and divided into 5 groups of control (Intact, sham I, sham II), experimental I and experimental II. After addiction of the experimental groups to heroin via intra peritoneal injection, the histological structures of testes were studied microscopically.

Results: Histological study of heroin on testes showed that the thickness of the basement membrane of the germinal epithelium and reduction in cell accumulation around some of the seminiferous tubules. Irregularity in spermatogonia, spermatocyte and spermatid, increased distance and degeneration in seminiferous tubules were observed. Increasing connective tissue between seminiferous tubules, decreased number of leydig cells, with a hypochromatic cytoplasm and reduction in their secretory granules, and congestion of testical tissue were also observed.

Conclusion: The results of this study show that heroin used in Iran can result in changes in the structure of testes. Consequently using heroin can influence the reproductive system.