Hematological and pathological effects of 0.25% purified simmondsin in growing rats

Abstract

Simmondsin, a glycoside extracted from jojoba meal ( Simmondsia chinensis), causes a reduction in food intake after oral administration. To investigate whether a moderate dose of simmondsin, inducing a food intake reduction of about 25%, has transient or permanent detrimental effects on hematological and pathological parameters in rats, the following study was conducted. Rats treated with simmondsin (0.25% mixed in the food) were compared to the appropriate control- and pair-fed rats. After 10 weeks, 50% of the rats receiving simmondsin or pair-fed to simmondsin treated rats were changed to a control diet ad libitum, the other 50% remained on the simmondsin or pair-fed treatment until week 20. Growth, food intake, hematological and some pathological parameters were determined. From this study it could be concluded that simmondsin treatment induced a transient increase in organ weights compared to pair-fed rats, and a slight macrocytic, normochromic anemia, that also recovered completely after withdrawal of simmondsin. However, the conducted study did not reveal any microscopic or biochemical sign of toxicity.