الفهرس 
Teratogenic effects of the antidepressant drug sertraline on fetuses of albino rats
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Abstract
Sertraline is an often used antidepressant drug; however insufficient information is available regarding its safety during pregnancy. Therefore, this work was initiated to study the effect of prenatal exposure of mirtazapine on fetuses of rats. The study was conducted on pregnant rats to observe the safety profile of sertraline in comparison to control. Pregnant albino rats (rattus norvegicus) were administrated during organogenesis period with therapeutic dose. Fetuses were removed from the uterus and evaluated for mortality rate, growth parameters, morphological and skeletal malformation as well as histological study of liver, kidney and brain. Results showed significant reduction in placental weight of pregnant rats treated with sertraline. Treated group showed incidence of pregnancy loss and abortion. Fetal growth retardation during gestational period was recorded also some skeletal anomalies were observed these abnormalities included weak ossification of the skull bones roof and bones formed girdles and limbs. Histopathological studies of fetuses during gestation revealed changes in liver histology such as presences of clumping of the hepatocytes with hyperchromatic nuclei and increases in the number of megakaryocytes were seen, kidney tissue revealed numbers of mitotic activity in the nuclei of the tubular lining epithelium, coagulative necrosis in the lining tubular epithelium of the proximal convoluted tubules at the cortex and the cerebrum showed ill developed wall of the blood vessels also the matrix of striatum in cerebrum showed vacuolization and neuronal cells in the substantia nigra showed degeneration with lose of the cytoplasmic granules. Our findings suggest the need for great caution to handle sertraline especially during pregnancy