Effect of medroxyprogesterone injection on liver function and histological features of the liver in albino rats

Medroxyprogesterone is a synthetic progestin that is widely used as a hormonal contraceptive and has a potential for hepatotoxicity. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of medroxyprogesterone administration on the hepatic functions of female albino rats. For this purpose, a total of 20 female albino rats were divided into two groups of 10 rats each. The first group represented the rats prior to medroxyprogesterone administration, and the second group included the same rats after receiving an intramuscular injection of medroxyprogesterone (3.5 mg/rat/week) following an 8‑week study period. In addition, the study included group 3, which represented the control female albino rats at the start of the study and group 4 represented the same rats of group 3, but at the end of the experiment. Blood samples were obtained for the evaluation of liver function, including the analysis of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin levels. Additionally, samples of hepatic tissues were histologically assessed. The results revealed a statistically significant elevation in AST, ALT and total bilirubin levels, with a reduction in ALP levels in the treated group (group 2) compared to the other groups at P<0.001. The histopathological examination of the liver tissues revealed the vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes, the congestion of sinusoids and inflammation in the treated group compared to the control groups. These findings point to the negative impact of medroxyprogesterone on rat liver function, with hepatic cell injury being observed. These findings highlight the potential hepatotoxic effects of this drug and urges the routine monitoring of liver function in clinical settings.