Gross morphological studies on the effect of cyanide on the developing cerebellum of wistar rat (rattus novegicus).

The teratogenic effect of maternal cyanide consumption on the gross morphology of the post-natal phase of the developing rat cerebellum was studied. Twenty pregnant female rats weighing between 170 g and 190 g were separated into control and experimental groups. The control animals were fed a standard diet of mice cubes, while the experimental animals were fed 500 ppm potassium cyanide, mixed with the standard diet. The diets were fed to the animals and their litters in separate cages and water provided ad libitum during gestation and to the offspring after birth. After birth, the offspring (five per group) of days 1, 9, 14, 21, 28 and 50 were weighed, killed by cervical dislocation and the gross parameters studied. In the experimental animals, no significant differences were observed in the studied parameters between the control and experimental animals on day 1. A significant reduction in body weight was observed on day 14 (P < 0.05). The brain weight was significantly reduced on day 9 (P < 0.05). Similarly, the cerebellar weight was significantly reduced on days 14,21 and 28 (P < 0.05). The maximum vermal length was significantly reduced on day 50 (P < 0.05), and the maximum side-to-side dimension of the cerebellum was also reduced on day 28 (P < 0.05). There was no reduction in the thickness (anteroposterior dimension) of the cerebellum in the experimental group (P > 0.05). From the result, it is inferred that maternal consumption of 500 ppm cyanide causes reduction in the cerebellar weight, vermal length and side-to-side dimension of the developing cerebellum in postnatal life in rats.