RESUMEN
Dexamethasone (DEX), which is a corticosteroid hormone (glucocorticoid), has been used to treat different conditions, such as immune system disorders, certain skin and eye disorders, as well as breathing problems. Cefotaxime sodium, also called Claforan, is synthesized from a naturally occurring material (semisynthetic). It is a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic that could be utilized for parenteral administration. The present study aimed to investigate histological changes occurring in the tissues and cells of the rats' ovary (primordial, primary, secondary, antral, and mature follicle) treated with Cefotaxime sodium, as well as DEX, and evaluate the impacts of these medications on animals' fertility. In total, 40 female adult Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=10). The control group received 0.5 ml/kg of distilled water daily for five days as a placebo. The second group was injected with 0.5 mg/kg of DEX daily for five days. The same amount of Claforan (0.5 mg/kg) was injected into the third group daily for five days, and the fourth group received 0.5 mg/kg of both Claforan and DEX daily for five days. Afterward, the ovaries were prepared for histological examination. The ImageJ image analysis system was used to detect morphometric parameters and calculate the area of these organs. The findings of the present study showed that the DEX and Claforan brought changes to the ovarian area and the number of follicles. The ovarian area significantly increased (P<0.007) in the DEX-treated group (mean±SEM=7.3±0.5 mm2), compared to the control group (mean±SEM=4.6±0.20 mm2). However, DEX was found to decrease body weight. Furthermore, the ovarian area significantly increased in the Claforan-treated group (mean±SEM=8.6±0.6 mm2); however, their body weight significantly decreased (P<0.008), in comparison with the control and DEX-treated groups. The combination treatment (i.e., DEX + Cefotaxime sodium) significantly increased (P<0.009) the area of ovaries even more, compared to single treatments (mean±SEM=9.6±0.4 mm2). Overall, both DEX and Claforan brought histological changes to ovaries. However, the effect of DEX on ovaries was less than that of Claforan. The concurrent administration of both medications was found to have more significant effects on rats' ovaries.