Effects of clomiphene citrate on neonatal rat skin

Clomiphene citrate is chemically related to non-steroidal estrogens, and has antiestrogenic properties. It is used in the treatment of anovulatory female infertility and its therapeutic effect mainly depends on inhibiting the negative feedback effects of endogenous estrogen by stimulating the gonadotropin releasing hormone. Today, it is also used in the treatment of male infertility.

In this study the effects of clomiphene citrate on skin maturation in neonatal rats were investigated.

Forty Spraque-Dawley female newborn rats were separated into two control and two experimental groups (n = 10). One day after birth. experimental newborn rats were given clomphene citrate subcutaneously in a dosage of 100 mg/kg/day for five days. The first experimental group of rats were anesthetised at 21 days whereas the second experimental group of rats were then anestetised on day 28. Biopsies were taken immediately from the perineal skin. Histopathological assessments were made and compared with their control groups.

In both the experimental groups of newborn rats, increased keratinization and irregular hypertrophy were observed in the epidermal cells. Disorganization of the basal layer cells and hyperplasia were found to be more prominent in the first experimental group and dermal fibrosis and lymphohistiocytic inflammatory cell infiltration were especially prominent around the sebaceous glands in the second experimental group.

The administration of clomiphene citrate in newborn rats showed impaired skin maturation.