Abdulrahim HAFatoki JOOyewo EBNafiu ABOmeiza NAAdekunle AS2025-04-162025-04-162022Levonorgestrel; Lipid Profile; Liver Function; Cellular Injuries; Oral Contraceptives.ISSN: 2814-3221 (print), ISSN: 2955-0874 (online)https://uilspace.unilorin.edu.ng/handle/123456789/15063ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: Oral levonorgestrel is a post coitus contraceptive used to prevent unintended pregnancies. The uncontrolled availability of levonorgestrel over-the-counter for sexually active youth, as well as the increasing potential consequences of side effects with frequent use, necessitates research into the effects of repeated levonorgestrel use on selected tissues' cytoarchitectures and biomarkers in female Wistar rats. Methods: Twenty rats (140 ± 20 g) were randomized into four groups: control received 0.2 mL/kg normal saline while others were exposed to oral levonorgestrel at 0.002 mg/kg, 0.004 mg/kg and 0.008 mg/kg, 3 times weekly at 48-hour interval for six weeks. Results: Levonorgestrel increased hepatic total cholesterol, phospholipids and malondialdehyde; renal and cardiac total cholesterol were also found to be elevated in high dose (0.008 mg/kg) levonorgestrel treated rats. Regardless of administered dose, levonorgestrel has a varying effect on tissue triglycerides and GSH and increases serum AST and ALT.. Furthermore, levonorgestrel significantly altered the histoarchitecture of selected tissues in a dose-dependent manner, indicating hepatic karyorrhexis, renal congestion, loss of cortical glomeruli in the kidney, cardiac hypertrophy, endometrial epithelial hypoplasia, disruption of glycoprotein zona pellucida, and uterine glandular atrophy. Conclusion: These findings suggest that levonorgestrel is toxic at non-pharmacological doses by altering tissue lipid profiles and inducing cellular injuries through oxidative and non-oxidative mechanisms. Keywords: Levonorgestrel; Lipid Profile; Liver Function; Cellular Injuries; Oral Contraceptives.enArticle