EFFECTS ON REPRODUCTION IN FEMALE OFFSPRING FROM SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS FED 10-PERCENT SNAKEWEED (GUTIERREZIA-MICROCEPHALA) THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY AND CONCURRENT TREATMENT WITH SAFFLOWER OIL

Previous studies determined that safflower oil administration provided protection against the embryotoxicity seen following ingestion of 10% snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephala) throughout pregnancy. Sixty-two young primiparous female rats born in those studies were paired with a dult male Sprague-Dawley rats. After 4 d they were removed and carried their litters to term. Observations were made of the presence and ext ent of reproductive effects attributable to the 10% snakeweed exposure and differences in fecundity that were attributable to dosing with sa fflower oil or normal saline during the snakeweed exposure. Of the 62 rats, 50 carried litters to term and approximated the reproductive eff iciency of normal primiparous Sprague-Dawley rats. There was no signif icant difference between the fecundity of females born to rats fed the 10% snakeweed and dosed with safflower oil, those born of rats fed sn akeweed dosed with normal saline, or those fed a snakeweed-free diet a nd dosed with normal saline. Regardless of the diet or treatment admin istered, dams carrying their litters to parturition gave birth to heal thy, normo-reproductive offspring. While the toxic principles in Gutie rrezia species plants may act as estrogenic or anti-estrogenic compoun ds, they did not impair fertility in the female offspring of dosed rat s.