title: Effect of prenatally administered hypericum (St John's wort) on growth and physical maturation of mouse offspring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to determine whether prenatal exposure to the herb hypericum (St John's wort) affects long-term growth and physical maturation of mouse offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty CD-1 mice were randomly assigned to receive daily doses of either 180 mg/kg per day hypericum (n = 20) or a placebo (n = 20) for 2 weeks before conception and throughout gestation. Perinatal outcomes, growth, and physical milestones of the offspring were compared in a blinded manner. Variables were compared by analysis of variance or by chi2 testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gestational ages at delivery and litter sizes did not differ between the hypericum-exposed and the placebo-exposed offspring. The body weight, body length, and head circumference measurements from postnatal day 3 through adulthood increased in a manner that was indistinguishable between the two groups of offspring, regardless of gender. No differences in reaching physical milestones (teeth eruptions, eye opening, external genitalia) were noted between the 2 groups. The reproductive capability, perinatal outcomes, and growth and development of the second-generation offspring were unaffected by hypericum exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal administration of hypericum before and throughout gestation did not affect long-term growth and physical maturation of exposed mouse offspring.
authors.affiliation: Section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA.
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Rayburn
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001699:Biometry; D001835:Body Weight; D002508:Cephalometry; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005835:Genitalia / Q000254:growth & development; D005865:Gestational Age; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D020902:Hypericum / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014078:Tooth Eruption / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts