K. Bhuvaneswari and V. Elango
Nicotine in cigarette smoke is one of the toxic substances which impair the fertility. In this research the effects of nicotine tartrate on female albino rat’s reproductive system was studied. The rats were divided into 4 groups. Group I: control animals received normal saline, Group II: injected with nicotine 4mg/kg, Group III: injected with nicotine4mg/kg and Meliaazedarach 100mg given orally. Group IV: given Meliaazedarach 100 mg/kg orally. The experimental group were injected subcutaneously 4 mg/kg of nicotine tartrate daily for 30 days. Estrous cycle was examined daily by vaginal smear and animals in estrus phase were selected. At the end of the experiment, uterus and ovaries were removed and after weighing were prepared for histometric and histological studies. Results showed that the length of estrous cycle in group II animals was increased significantly. Histological studies showed that there were atretic follicles in 4 mg/kg treated groups. In group III rats these pathological changes were reversed and there is no change in group IV rats
