title: Effects of a saccharin and cyclamate mixture on rat embryos.
abstract: Sodium saccharin (NaS) and calcium cyclamate (CaC) are artificial sweeteners widely used in food and drink. To evaluate their toxicological effects on preimplantation mammalian embryos, pregnant rats were gavaged with 1.65 mg NaS/kg bw + 3.85 mg CaC/kg bw (DI) or 6.6 mg NaS/kg bw + 15.4 mg CaC/kg bw (D2) on days 1, 2, 3 and 4 of pregnancy (positive vaginal smear = day 1). The female rats were killed on day 5 of the pregnancy (GD 5), maternal organs weighed, and the blastocysts collected, counted and evaluated for gross morphology, cell number and mitotic index. There was no alteration in maternal organ weights, but there was an increase of the cell number/embryo in the dams treated with that NaS + CaC mixtures (D1 = 37.20 +/- 7.96; D2 = 37.26 +/- 10.90) compared to control group (32.24 +/- 6.73). Embryos whose dams were exposed to NaS + CaC may have adapted for implantation into the uterus but more studies are needed to demonstrate this mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Embryology, School of Human Medicine of Marilia, Marilia, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Debora C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Damasceno
authors.forename: Maurício A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.forename: Luciana C A
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Durante
authors.forename: Nathalia C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Caio H J
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Cleuber B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003494:Cyclamates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012439:Saccharin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003494:Cyclamates; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D012439:Saccharin