[Toxicity of Caowu on in vitro cultured rat embryos].
OBJECTIVE
To study the developmental toxicity of Caowu and its mechanism on rat embryos.


METHODS
Whole embryo culture was applied to test the effects of Caowu on rat embryos during the critical period of organogenesis. All embryos isolated on gestational day 9.5 were exposed to different concentrations of Caowu. The growth and differentiation of the embryos at the end of the 48 h culture period were observed.


RESULTS
The embryonic growth and development were adversely affected by Caowu at the concentration of 2.5 mg/mL, which were represented as reduced yolk sac diameters, decreased number of somites, and lower morphological scores. With the increase of the concentrations of Caowu, more severe teratogenic effects appeared, including cardiac defect (undivided cardiac tube and inflated pericardial cavity), irregular somites, and brain malformation such as narrow brain vesicles.


CONCLUSIONS
Caowu has direct embryotoxic effects on rats during the organogenesis period. We suggest that pregnant women in the first trimester use Caowu with cautions before a conclusion has been made.
National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Kai
K
Xiao
Guang-Yan
GY
Yan
Li
L
Wang
Yu-Qing
YQ
Liu
Cheng
C
Peng
Jia-Chuan
JC
Duan
Zheng-Tao
ZT
Fu
Hong-Xia
HX
Li
D000157:Aconitine / Q000633:toxicity*; D031841:Aconitum / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000157:Aconitine