رضوان مجاهد - Dept. of Developmental Cell, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.
منیره موحدی - Dept. Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran North Branch, Tehran, Iran.
پروین تراب زاده خراسانی - Dept. of Developmental Cell, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.

Background and Objective: Fennel seeds, which are incorporated in many drugs and drinks, act as agents to increase appetite, energy, calmness, and milk secretion. This study was set to investigate the effects of fennel seeds on pregnancy. Materials and Methods: Four doses of ۵۰,۱۰۰,۲۰۰,۴۰۰ mg / kg of fennel seeds were prepared. Then, ۴ groups of ۷ BALB/ C female mice weighting ۲۱ to ۲۵ grams for injection of ۴ different experimental doses and two groups of ۵ BALB/ C female mice were considered as sham and control. The fetus and uterus of the pregnant mice were removed and photographed by photo-stereomicroscope. Afterwards, microtome cutting sections of central portion of samples was prepared and studied. The results were analyzed using ANOVA with significance level of P <۰.۰۵ and P <۰.۰۱. Results: At a dose of ۵۰ mg/kg, fetuses exhibited subcutaneous bleeding. At doses of ۱۰۰, ۲۰۰ and ۴۰۰ mg/kg, abnormalities such as severe subcutaneous bleeding, protrusion of the liver (Exohepatic) and protrusion of the brain (Exencephaly) were observed in embryos. All ۴ doses indicated uterine wall thickening which similarly happened in uterine with atrophied fetus. Conclusion: The observed abnormalities provide evidence that fennel seed can act as a teratogen agent during pregnancy.

Keywords: Fennel, Foeniculum vulgar, Pregnancy, Malformations, Embryo, BALB/ C female mice