Reproductive study of Chenopodium ambrosioides aqueous extract in rats.

Abstract

Abstract Studies were conducted to investigate the reproductive alterations of Chenopodium ambrosioides aqueous extract in rats. Ten female 90-day-old Wistar rats were randomly distributed into control and experimental groups. The experimental group received the aqueous extract (100 mg/kg) by gavage from gestational day (GD) 1 to GD 20. The control group received tap water by gavage for the same period. During treatment body weight, food consumption and water intake were recorded. The body weight gain was also calculated. On day 20 of gestation, the dams were anesthetized with ethyl ether. Blood was collected for evaluation of biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, urea and creatinine) by cardiac puncture. After euthanasia by cervical dislocation, the ovaries and uterus were removed. The ovaries were weighed and the number of corpora lutea was recorded. The fetuses were counted, removed, weighed and examined for any malformations. The uterus was weighed. The number of implantation sites, reabsorptions and dead and live fetuses per dam were recorded. Also, the dam's organ weight was recorded (liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas, uterus and ovaries) and then tissue portions were fixed in 10% formalin for histopathological studies. The reproductive performance was investigated by recording litter weight, total number of fetuses per litter, number of male and female fetuses, fetal body weight for males and females and number of dead fetuses. Results revealed that the aqueous extract obtained by boiling fresh leaves in distilled water at the concentration of 1000 mg/kg/day did not promote maternal and fetal toxicity nor did it impair reproductive performance in rat dams. The fertility study suggested that the aqueous extract (1000 mg/kg/day) administered during gestation to rats did not impair fertility or negatively impact gestation in rats because no alterations were observed in pre- and post-implantations or any other parameter.