Effect of prenatally administered hypericum (St John's wort) on growth and physical maturation of mouse offspring.
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.
Rayburn
W F
WF
Section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA.
Gonzalez
C L
CL
Christensen
H D
HD
Stewart
J D
JD
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
D010936:Plant Extracts