title: Petroleum ether extract of Cissus quadrangularis (LINN) stimulates the growth of fetal bone during intra uterine developmental period: a morphometric analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect Cissus quadrangularis plant petroleum ether extract on the development of long bones during the intra-uterine developmental stage in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant rats (n=12) were randomly assigned into either a control group (n=6) or a Cissus quadrangularis treatment (n=6) group. Pregnant rats in the Cissus quadrangularis group were treated with Cissus quadrangularis petroleum ether extract at a dose of 500 mg/kg body weight from gestation day 9 until delivery. The animals in the control group received an equal volume of saline. Newborn pups were collected from both groups for alizarin red S - alcian blue staining to differentiate ossified and unossified cartilage. The ossified cartilage (bone) was morphometrically analyzed using Scion image software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Morphometric analysis revealed that the percentage of the total length of ossified cartilage (bone) in pups born to treated dams was significantly higher (P<0.001- -0.0001) than that of the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study suggest that maternal administration of Cissus quadrangularis petroleum ether extract during pregnancy can stimulate the development of fetal bone growth during the intra-uterine developmental period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University.
authors.forename: Bhagath Kumar
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Potu
authors.forename: Muddanna S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: N Gopalan
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Kutty
authors.forename: Kumar M R
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.forename: Mallikarjuna Rao
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chamallamudi
authors.forename: Soubhagya Ranjan
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Nayak
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes; D000818:Animals; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D032422:Cissus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D010936:Plant Extracts; C004544:naphtha