TY  - JOUR
T1  - <I>Luffa acutangula</I> Roxb. Tea Promotes Developmental Toxicity to Rats
AU - Cristina Borges Fernandes, Luciana AU - Vieira Cordeiro, Luiz Augusto AU - Soto-Blanco, Benito 
JO  - Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances
VL  - 9
IS  - 8
SP  - 1255
EP  - 1258
PY  - 2010
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1680-5593
DO  - javaa.2010.1255.1258
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=javaa.2010.1255.1258
KW  - Reproductive toxicology
KW  -malformation
KW  -cleft palate
KW  -abortion
KW  -fruit
KW  -tea
AB  - The tea made from <I>Luffa acutangula</I> fruits has been largely used by women for abortion induction and abortions occurred in ruminants that had ingested the fruits. The research aimed to study the abortive effect of<I> L. acutangula </I> tea in rats. Eleven pregnant Wistar female rats were used. On the 15th gestational day, six rats were dosed with 10 mL kg<SUP>-1</SUP> of <I>L. acutangula </I>tea (50 g of dried fruit in 100 mL of water) and the other five rats were dosed with saline solution. On the 21st gestational day, all the rats were submitted to cesarean section. There was no difference between the two groups on body weight and body weight gain and no  sign of maternal toxicity was observed in females throughout the experiment. The number of points of implantation, live and dead fetuses, corpora lutea and points of reabsorption did not differ between groups but it was found reduced fetal weight in the group treated with<I> L. acutangula</I>. The search for external malformations revealed a fetus with cleft palate from a plant-treated mother. No lesion was found at histological evaluation of placentas. In conclusion, the ingestion of <I>L. acutangula</I> during pregnancy may promote developmental toxicity.
ER  -