Complex study of the vaporous ammonia influence on the morphofunctional status of the female rats organism

Abstract

To study on the experimental model the chronic effect of vaporous ammonia of the maximum permissible concentration for the working area air on the morphofunctional state of female rats. Methods: Rats’ primer to ammonia at a dose of 20 mg/m3 was carried out using a modified chamber method for 2 hours per day for 45 days. The morphofunctional state of female rats exposed to ammonia was studied in comparison with a control group of animals in a regular air environment. The experiment included evaluation of erythrocyte, leukocyte and platelet blood parameters, level detection of gonadotropins and sex hormones, morphometry of the adrenal glands, genitalia, microtomography of the femoral bones. Results: Ammonia priming of rats was accompanied by an increase in number of red blood cells, white blood cells, an increase in hematocrit, a decrease in volume of red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, as well as a decrease in the average content and concentration of hemoglobin in the erythrocyte and an increase in the total platelet concentration with a decrease in their total volume. Animals’ inhalation with ammonia led to cardiac and adrenal gland hypertrophy (23.8% and 41.0% increase, respectively) and a decrease of the uterus' size by 36% and mass by 47.0%. Testosterone increased by 52.8% and estradiol decreased by 27.5% and FSH by 11.2%, respectively. The mineral density of the trabecular and cortical parts of the femoral bones of animals exposed to ammonia was (0.13 ± 0.01) and (1.17 ± 0.01) g/cm3 against (0.27 ± 0.03) and (1, 24 ± 0.01) g/cm3 in the control group, respectively. Number and thickness of trabeculae of the epiphyseal part of the femoral bone decreased to 27.4% and 22.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The effect of vaporous ammonia on the organism of female rats was accompanied by negative changes in the state of peripheral blood, in the content of gonadotropins and the ratio of sex hormones, hypoplasia of the genitalia, a decrease in bone mineral density and a rarefaction of the trabecular bone structure