University Publications

The study was designed to assess the hazard of using synthetic glucocorticosteroid Dexamethasone without medical supervision. The study was done in Wister albino rat; Rattus norvegicus (Wister, 1906) of body weight range 91.0 - 137.0 g. The lab-retained rats were randomly divided to three groups according to dexamethasone daily oral ingestion. Groups 1 and 2 were given oral dose of 0.75mg/Kg. body weight and 1.5 mg/kg. body weight, respectively. The third group ingested distilled water. The experiment was terminated after 6 weeks. Rats then were scarified and dissected for anatomical and tissue collection for histological investigation. Rats treated with the above doses of dexamethasone experienced the following: changes in rats’ behavior (aggressiveness), high heart palpitations, short breathing and wheezing. Morphological changes were expressed as skin bruises and hair falling and loss in body mass as well as pronounced damages in the anatomy and histology of the lungs.