Abstract:

The purpose of this research evaluated the effects of methimazole used to create hypothyroidism in rats, and its effects on the eosinophilic cells and uterus layer thicknesses. Uterus samples, 15 healthy Wistar Albino female rats and 12-14 weeks of age, were taken from control (C, n=6) and experimental (E, n=9) groups. Intraperitoneally, methimazole was injected as 10 mg/kg/day dose in the Group E for 2 weeks. After hypothyroidism was created in the Group E, feeding all the rats in this study was continued with normal pellet feed again for 2 weeks to see chronic effects on tissue. At the end of the 4th week, uterus samples were stained with Crossmon’s trichrome staining. Uterus layer thicknesses were obtained by measuring from images of six different uterus regions including endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium layers of each preparation with ImageJ Analysis Program. The mean eosinophil granulocyte count of the endometrium was higher in the Group E when compared to Group C (P<0.05). This cell distribution was concentrated in the endometrium functionalis. However, there was no difference in uterine layer thicknesses between the groups (P>0.05). We concluded that methimazole caused hypereosinophil granulocyte accumulation in the endometrium functionalis. This study is important for clinicians to evaluate methimazole-associated eosinophilic infiltration due to hypersensitive immune reactions to the drug, especially corcerning pregnancy.

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