Pigmentary changes in rat oral mucosa following antimalarial therapy

Pharmacogenic pigmentation of the oral mucosa has been reported following the use of a number of anti-malarial drugs. The nature and distribution of the pigment is inconclusive in the literature. The aim of the present study was to document pigment deposition within the oral mucosa of DA rats following prolonged chloroquine and pyrimethamine administration. The drugs were given as a combined dosage and separately to different groups via stomach gavage tube. After 12 weekly administrations the palatal mucosa was examined histochemically and ultrastructurally for changes in numbers and size of active melanocytes using the dopa-oxidase technique. The serum was analysed for changes in ACTH and testosterone levels. Morphometric analysis of cells incubated for dopa-oxidase showed a significant increase in the size of dopa positive cells with both drugs but an increase in the number of active melanocytes with chloroquine only. Serum levels of ACTH remained unchanged with both drugs but pyrimethamine caused an elevation in testosterone.