Hematological and pathological effects of 0.25% purified simmondsin in growing rats

Simmondsin, a glycoside extracted from jojoba meal (Simmondsia chinensis), causes a reduction in food intake after oral administration. To investigate whether a moderate dose of simmondsin, inducing a food intake reduction of about 25%, has transient or permanent detrimental effects on hematological and pathological parameters in rats, the following study was conducted. Ra ts treated with simmondsin (0.25% mixed in the food) were compared to the a ppropriate control- and pair-fed rats. After 10 weeks, 50% of the rats rece iving simmondsin or pair-Fed to simmondsin treated rats were changed to a c ontrol diet ad libitum, the other 50% remained on the simmondsin or pair-fe d treatment until week 20. Growth, food intake, hematological and some path ological parameters were determined. From this study it could be concluded that simmondsin treatment induced a transient increase in organ weights com pared to pair-fed rats, and a slight macrocytic, normochromic anemia, that also recovered completely after withdrawal of simmondsin. However, the cond ucted study did not reveal any microscopic or biochemical sign of toxicity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.