Selective oocyte degeneration and impaired fertility in rats treated with the aliphatic monoterpene, Citral.
Mature female rats treated with Citral (3-7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal) either topically for 60 or 100 days or by 6 i.p. injections (at 4-5 day day intervals) showed a marked decrease in the number of normal follicles per section, because oocytes tended to degenerate although the follicular cells remained normal. The reproductive performance after Citral treatment was impaired: there was a reduction in implantation number and litter size and an increased post-implantation fetal wastage. None of the young survived after 100 days of topical Citral treatment. It is suggested that Citral directly affects the oocytes.
D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D013729:Terpenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000447:Aldehydes; D013729:Terpenes; C007076:citral