title: Safety assessment of Hibiscus sabdariffa after maternal exposure on male reproductive parameters in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Malvaceae) is a species widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of some disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the effects of H. sabdariffa (HS) on the development of the male reproductive tract in rats following in utero exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant rats received 250 or 500 mg/kg of HS extract or vehicle from gestational day 12 until day 21 of lactation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both doses of HS increased the body weight of male offspring at weaning, without compromising the puberty onset parameters. At puberty, there was a significant increase in the vas deferens absolute weight and a significant reduction in the relative weight of kidney at higher dose. These animals also presented a significant reduction in the sperm number in the caput/corpus of epididymis after exposure to both doses and a reduction in the sperm number in the cauda epididymis for the lower dose. At adulthood, the highest dose significantly reduced the sperm production in relation to controls and both doses provoked a reduction in the relative sperm number in the epididymis without affecting the sperm morphology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrated that maternal exposure to H. sabdariffa can adversely influence the male reproductive system in rats.
authors: a School of Health Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD) - Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State , Dourados , Brazil .
authors: Aline
authors: A
authors: de Arruda
authors: b Mato Grosso do Sul State University (UEMS) - Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State , Dourados , Brazil .
authors: Claudia Andrea L
authors: CA
authors: Cardoso
authors: c School of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD) - Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State , Dourados , Brazil , and.
authors: Maria do Carmo
authors: Mdo C
authors: Vieira
authors: a School of Health Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD) - Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State , Dourados , Brazil .|d Department of Morphology , Institute of Biosciences, UNESP-Univ Estadual Paulista , Botucatu , São Paulo State, Botucatu , Brazil.
authors: Arielle Cristina
authors: AC
authors: Arena
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D031584:Hibiscus / Q000737:chemistry*; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Herbal treatment; lactation; pregnancy; sexual development; toxicity