ABSTRACT
Carthamus tinctorius L. [Safflower] is a member of the asteraceae family which is used as a food additive but also has medicinal applications. This study investigated its effects on placental histomorphology and survival of mice neonates. Eighty Balb/C pregnant mice were randomly distributed into one control and three experimental groups [n=20]. The control group received only distilled water, whereas experimental groups were administered intraperitoneally C. tinctorius extract at doses of 0.7, 1.4, and 2.8 mg/kg during the organogenesis period [6[th] to 16[th] day of gestation]. On the 17[th] day of gestation, half of the animals were euthanized; their fetuses and placentas were removed and histomorphological study was performed. In the rest of the animals after parturition, the number of neonates was counted. Survival rates were periodically calculated for neonates within days 5, 15, 25, and 42 after birth. The results were evaluated by one-way ANOVA. The results showed that treatment with 1.4 and 2.8 mg/kg C. tinctorius extract caused reduction in the trophoblastic giant cells ratio and increasing in the proportion of labyrinthine interhemal membrane [LIM]. Moreover, the size of the labyrinthine zone per whole placenta, weight, diameter, and thickness of the placenta in the mice administered with 1.4 and 2.8 mg/kg C. tinctorius extract became lower than those of controls [p<0.05]. In addition, in the treated mice with 1.4 and 2.8 mg/kg C. tinctorius extract, the number of neonate was drastically decreased on days 5, 15, 25, and 42 after birth. It is concluded that treatment with C. tinctorius extract in doses of 1.4 and 2.8 mg/kg induces toxic changes in the placental structure so caution should be paid to popular consumption of this plant both as an alternative medicine and as a food additive
ABSTRACT
Fluctuations in salinity impose stress on the physiology of the exposed fish population and can modify their structure. It has been noted that changes in blood characteristics and plasma levels serve as the primary link between environmental change and physiological response [McCormick, 2001]. Ninety healthy adult Cyprinuscarpio [C. carpio] were randomly divided into five groups and kept in salinities of 1 [control group], 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 g/L The salinity was gradually increased by 3 g/L daily to final their concentrations. Fish were kept for 14 days after transference to the final salinity. Subsequently, plasma glucose, lactate, and protein content, as well as hematological parameters, were evaluated. The highest hematocrit [Hct], hemogloblin level [Hb], red blood cell count [RBC], lactate, and glucose values were found fish kept in the highest salinity. The values of the white blood cell count [WBC] showed an initial increase in fish from the control group until a salinity of 9 g/L, but subsequently decreased at higher salinities. The plasma protein levels among the fish in different groups did not show a significant change. The results demonstrate that changes in blood parameters can be used as indices to monitor the effects of salinity on the physiology of C. carpio