Biomaterial Database

Effect of the Aqueous Extract of Chrysobalanus icaco Leaves on Maternal Reproductive Outcomes and Fetal Development in Wistar Rats. 2023

Natalie Emanuelle Ribeiro Rodrigues, and Alisson Rodrigo da Silva Oliveira, and Sandrine Maria de Arruda Lima, and Daniel Medeiros Nunes, and Priscilla Barbosa Sales de Albuquerque, and Maria das Graças Carneiro da Cunha, and Almir Gonçalves Wanderley, and Flavio Manoel Rodrigues da Silva Júnior, and José Bruno Nunes Ferreira Silva, and Álvaro Aguiar Coelho Teixeira, and Teresinha Gonçalves da Silva

Laboratory of Farmatoxicological Prospecting of Bioactive Products (BIOFARMATOX), Department of Antibiotics, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife 54740-520, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Toxicological studies on medicinal plants are essential to ensure their safety and effectiveness in treating various diseases. Despite the species Chrysobalanus icaco L. being popularly used in the treatment of several diseases due to the pharmacological properties of its bioactive compounds, there are few studies in the literature regarding its toxicity regarding reproduction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the potential embryotoxic and teratogenic effects of the aqueous extract of C. icaco leaves (AECi) on Wistar rats. Animals were given AECi at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg during the pre-implantation and organogenesis periods. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey's test and Kruskal-Wallis. Pregnant rats treated during the pre-implantation period showed no signs of reproductive toxicity. Rats that received AECi at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg during organogenesis did not exhibit any signs of maternal systemic toxicity or significant differences in gestational and embryotoxic parameters. Some skeletal changes were observed in the treated groups. Therefore, it can be suggested that AECi at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg is safe for treated animals and does not induce reproductive toxicity under the experimental conditions applied, but it also caused low systemic toxicity.