Effects on reproduction in female offspring from Sprague-Dawley rats fed 10% snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephala) throughout pregnancy and concurrent treatment with safflower oil.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether safflower oil administration protected against embryotoxicity caused by snakeweed ingestion during pregnancy and assessed its impact on fecundity in offspring.
Results Summary
Safflower oil did not significantly differ from normal saline in protecting against snakeweed-induced reproductive effects, with dams producing healthy offspring regardless of treatment. No fertility impairment was observed in female offspring.
Population
Primiparous female Sprague-Dawley rats and their offspring.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Throughout pregnancy (exact duration not specified)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
safflower oil administration | decrease | embryotoxicity | rats | - | provided protection against | #1 |
10% snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephala) ingestion | increase | embryotoxicity | rats throughout pregnancy | - | seen following | #2 |
10% snakeweed exposure | increase | reproductive effects | female rats | - | presence and extent of reproductive effects attributable to | #3 |
dosing with safflower oil or normal saline during snakeweed exposure | neutral | fecundity | female rats | - | differences in fecundity that were attributable to | #4 |
- | no change | reproductive efficiency | 50 rats that carried litters to term | - | approximated | #5 |
10% snakeweed and dosed with safflower oil | no change | fecundity | female offspring | no significant difference | no significant difference between the fecundity of females born to rats fed | #6 |
10% snakeweed dosed with normal saline | no change | fecundity | female offspring | no significant difference | no significant difference between the fecundity of females born to rats fed | #7 |
snakeweed-free diet and dosed with normal saline | no change | fecundity | female offspring | no significant difference | no significant difference between the fecundity of females born to rats fed | #8 |
diet or treatment administered | no change | offspring health | dams carrying their litters to parturition | - | Regardless of | #9 |
toxic principles in Gutierrezia species plants | neutral | estrogenic or anti-estrogenic compounds | - | - | may act as | #10 |
toxic principles in Gutierrezia species plants | no change | fertility | female offspring of dosed rats | - | did not impair | #11 |
Previous studies determined that safflower oil administration provided protection against the embryotoxicity seen following ingestion of 10% snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephala) throughout pregnancy. Sixty-two young primiparous female rats born in those studies were paired with adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. After 4 d they were removed and carried their litters to term. Observations were made of the presence and extent of reproductive effects attributable to the 10% snakeweed exposure and differences in fecundity that were attributable to dosing with safflower oil or normal saline during the snakeweed exposure. Of the 62 rats, 50 carried litters to term and approximated the reproductive efficiency of normal primiparous Sprague-Dawley rats. There was no significant difference between the fecundity of females born to rats fed the 10% snakeweed and dosed with safflower oil, those born of rats fed snakeweed dosed with normal saline, or those fed a snakeweed-free diet and dosed with normal saline. Regardless of the diet or treatment administered, dams carrying their litters to parturition gave birth to healthy, normo-reproductive offspring. While the toxic principles in Gutierrezia species plants may act as estrogenic or anti-estrogenic compounds, they did not impair fertility in the female offspring of dosed rats.