Protective effects of pine bark extract on developmental toxicity of cyclophosphamide in rats.
This study investigated the protective effects of pine bark extract (Pycnogenol®, PYC) against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced developmental toxicity in rats. A total of 44 mated females were randomly assigned to the following four experimental groups: (1) vehicle control, (2) CP, (3) CP&PYC, or (4) PYC. All dams were subjected to a Caesarean section on day 20 of gestation, and fetuses were examined for morphological abnormalities. Oxidative stress analysis was performed on maternal hepatic tissues. CP treatment caused decreased fetal and placental weights and increased embryonic resorptions and fetal malformations. In addition, an increased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and decreased reduced glutathione (GSH) content and catalase activity were observed in the hepatic tissues. On the contrary, PYC treatment during pregnancy significantly ameliorated the CP-induced embryo-fetal developmental toxicity in rats. Moreover, MDA and GSH concentrations and catalase activity in hepatic tissues were not affected when PYC was administered in conjunction with CP. These results suggest that repeated administration of PYC has beneficial effects against CP-induced embryo-fetal developmental toxicity in rats, and that the protective effects of PYC may be due to both inhibition of lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant activity.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Hwan
SH
Kim
In-Chul
IC
Lee
Jeong-Hyeon
JH
Lim
Changjong
C
Moon
Chun-Sik
CS
Bae
Sung-Ho
SH
Kim
Dong-Ho
DH
Shin
Seung-Chun
SC
Park
Hyoung-Chin
HC
Kim
Jong-Choon
JC
Kim
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D028223:Pinus / Q000737:chemistry*; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D005419:Flavonoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C024070:pycnogenols; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005978:Glutathione