Teratogenic effect of isotretinoin on the morphology and palate development in rat fetuses

The effect of isotretinoin currently used in dermatological treatments was investigated on the morphology and palate development during organogenesis in rat fetuses. This was in an attempt to evaluate the morphological implications associated with isotretinoin consumption. The animals were randomly divided into groups: A, B and C. Group A was further divided into subgroups: A1 and A2 and administered orally with 35 and 70 mg of isotretinoin (dissolved in vegetable oil) per kg of average body weight on day 11 of gestation. The same subdivision and administration goes for groups B and C, but on days 12 and 13, respectively. The control group received an equivalent volume of vegetable oil for each group on gestational days: 11, 12 and 13. After delivery, the fetuses were weighed and studied morphometrically and microscopically. The results revealed that group A had most of the primary palate affected (78.61 and 88.89% for subgroups 1 and 2, respectively); group B had most of the secondary palate affected (50.00 and 71.43% for subgroups 1 and 2, respectively) while majority of the fetuses in group C only showed mild malformation both in the primary and secondary palate (28.57 and 35.72% for sub groups 1 and 2, respectively). The data from morphometric parameters showed that the effect of isotretinoin on the fetuses is dose dependent. Isotretinoin should therefore be taking with caution especially by pregnant women during the first and second trimester of pregnancy.