Study on the effect of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on pregnant rats and the protection of zinc against it in pregnancy

Abstract

To investigate the effect of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on pregnant rat and the protection of zinc. Fifty rats were randomized equally into 5 groups consisting of blank (given 1 ml 0.9% sodium chloride), corn oil (given 1 ml corn oil), zinc (given 1 ml zinc gluconate including 1.2 mg zinc), DEHP (given 50 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1) DEHP) and DEHP + zinc (given 50 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1) DEHP + zinc gluconate). At the beginning of the experiment (about 7 d before pregnancy), the female rats were administered with corresponding drugs everyday. The pregnant rats were killed and the fetal rats were removed on 19th day. The following results in each group were recorded: the body weight and the organic weight of the female rats, the number and the weight of fetus rats and the placental weight. The weight and the coefficient of female rats' kidney/body, spleen/body, brain/body, and heart/body in DEHP group compared with other groups were not statistical significance (all P > 0.05). The coefficient of female rats' liver/body, uterus/body, and ovary/body of blank group were (4.4 ± 0.7)%, (1.26 ± 0.09)%, (0.083 ± 0.009)% respectively, corn oil group were (4.5 ± 0.6)%, (1.29 ± 0.10)%, (0.084 ± 0.008)%, zinc group were (4.4 ± 0.4)%, (1.26 ± 0.08)%, (0.084 ± 0.009)%, DEHP group were (5.4 ± 1.0)%, (1.11 ± 0.08)%, (0.074 ± 0.012)%, and DEHP + zinc group were (4.4 ± 1.0)%, (1.28 ± 0.10)%, (0.082 ± 0.007)%; in DEHP group the coefficient of female rats' liver/body, uterus/body, and ovary/body compared with other groups was statistical significance (P < 0.05). The fetal quantity, fetal weight and placental weight of female rats of blank group were 12.8 ± 2.7, (6.03 ± 0.16) g, (1.00 ± 0.03) g respectively, corn oil group were 13.6 ± 3.1, (6.07 ± 0.20) g, (1.00 ± 0.04) g, zinc group were 13.3 ± 3.1, (6.16 ± 0.18) g, (1.00 ± 0.05) g, DEHP group were 9.2 ± 4.1, (4.03 ± 0.09) g, (0.95 ± 0.03) g, and zinc + DEHP group were 12.1 ± 2.9, (6.09 ± 0.17) g, (0.99 ± 0.03) g. In DEHP group the fetal quantity, fetal weight and placental weight of female rats compared with other groups were statistical significance (P < 0.05). DEHP can damage female rats and fetal rats in gestation period. Zinc supplied before pregnancy can relieve the influence by DEHP.