Partial recovery of suppressed reproduction by Withania somnifera Dunal. in female rats following perinatal lead exposure
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22377/ijgp.v5i2.189Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a non-biodegradable, ubiquitous, environmental contaminant, and is well known for neurotoxicity. Recent studiesindicate that Pb poisoning also affects male reproduction in rats. However, little information is available on the effect of Pb in female reproduction. The present study is aimed at determining the changes in female reproduction in rats exposed to Pb during the perinatal period. Pregnant rats were exposed to 0.05 and 0.15% Pb through drinking water from gestation day 1. Rats were allowed to deliver pups and Pb exposure was continued lactationally till weaning. Female pups were separated and fed on a normal or reformulated experimental diet (containing Withania somnifera leaf powder at 500 mg/1 kg normal pellet diet) for 45 days and then the rats were analysed for fertility studies during adulthood after mating with normal adult rats (3 months old). Significant increase in the duration of the estrus cycle was observed in rats exposed to Pb during the perinatal period. The number of implantations also decreased with an increase in the pre- and post-implantation loss. Treatment with Withania somnifera partially reversed the Pb-induced suppressed
female reproduction. From the results, it can be concluded that exposure to Pb during the perinatal period suppresses the female fertility and the reformulated diet with supplementation of Withania somnifera ameliorates Pb-induced female reproductive toxicity.
Key words: Estrus cycle, female reproduction, implantation loss, lead toxicity, Withania somnifera
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