Carisoprodol (Somadril) induced histological and histochemical changes in renal cortex of pregnant rats and their fetuses

Abstract

Background: carisoprodol is a generally prescribed skeletal muscle relaxant whose primary active metabolite is meprobamate, a substance with well-established abuse potential similar to that of benzodiazepines. A number of reports showed that carisoprodol has been abused for its anodyne and relaxant effects. Aim of the work: the diversion and misuse of carisoprodol and its adverse health effects appeared to be dramatically increased over the last several years. This study aimed to detect the histological and histochemical changes in the cortex of kidney tissue of pregnant rats and their fetuses after treatment with carisoprodol. Materials and Methods: thirty pregnant female rats were randomly categorized into three groups (ten pregnant female rats in each group). The first was administered oral doses of distilled water and served as control. The other two groups were administered oral doses of carisoprodol (Somadril compound) in the distilled water equivalent to 10.8 and 21.6 mg/100g body weight/day respectively for 15 days from the 6th day to the 20th day of gestation. Results: maternal and fetal kidney cortex tissue of both treated groups showed lots of degenerative changes post-treatment with carisoprodol. The severity of these changes was more obvious in fetal cortex of kidney tissue of both groups this was accompanied with numerous histochemical changes. Conclusion: treatment of pregnant rats with carisoprodol led to numerous dystrophic changes in the maternal and fetal kidney cortex tissue. These findings provide evidence to support current recommendations to avoid the use of carisoprodol in pregnant rats except if the potential benefit justifies the risk to the fetuses.