Dominant lethal study ofSpirulina maxima in male and female rats after short-term feeding

Abstract

The algae Spirulina maxima has been considered for use as a supplementary protein in feed and food, as well as an hypocholesterolaemic and antiherpes simplex virus agent. In this paper the mutagenic potential was investigated in animals of each sex. Sexually mature male or female Wistar rats, received the algae incorporated into experimental diets at levels of 0, 10%, 20% and 30%, using a short-term (5 day) feeding, after which dominant lethal studies were conducted. The studies were carried out in two phases : a male dominant lethal phase in which untreated females cohabited for 8 weeks with treated males, two females each week, and the fetuses were evaluated 14 days after the mid-point of the week of cohabitation ; and a female dominant lethal phase in which untreated males were mated with treated females and their fetuses were evaluated 14 days after copulation. Examination of surgically exposed uteri and ovaries of pregnant females for counting pre- and post-implantation losses did not show germinal mutations, as manifested by a dominant lethal effect in males and females. In an additional study in males, no significant alterations were observed in semen counts, motility and shape of sperm. Sex organ weights failed to reveal any alteration.