Skeletal ossification of 20-day albino rat fetuses under the influence of maternal protein malnutrition and low doses caffeine administration during pregnancy

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present work was to study skeletal ossification of the 20-day albino rat fetus under the influence of maternal protein malnutrition and the administration of low subtoxic doses of caffeine which are known to produce minimal effects on the fetus. Twenty-four pregnant albino rats were divided equally into 4 groups; control group [20% protein], caffeine group [20% protein + caffeine], protein malnourished group [6% protein] and combined group [6% protein + caffeine]. Maternal protein malnutrition started from the first day of gestation, while low dose caffeine [25 mg/kg BW, IG] was given daily to the mothers from day 6-12 of gestation. Fetuses were collected by caesarian section at the 20th day of gestation. Bones were stained by alizarin red using Dawson's then ossification was assessed. The results revealed that low doses of caffeine administration have mild effects on ossification of fetal bones, while maternal protein malnutrition delayed ossification markedly. The combination of caffeine and protein malnutrition increased the delaying of ossification in the combined of caffeine and protein malnutrition increased the delaying of ossification in the combined group as compared to all other studied group. A significant delay in ossification was especially noticed in sternum, cervical and sacral vertebrae, pubis and metacarpal bones of the fetuses of the combined group as compared to the caffeine group which indicates that caffeine has a synergistic role to protein malnutrition in the combined group