The study of effect of aqueous fruit extract Berberis vulgaris on the liver tissues of rat’s embryo

Considering the great benefits of Berberis, the effect of its extract on the development of fetal liver was investigated in this research. For this perpose, 40 female rats weighing 188 ± 20 gram and 8 male rats weighing 188 ± 20 gram were selected and fertilized. After two weeks of exposure to standard conditions, by adjoining male and female rats, monogamy fertilization was provided, and vaginal plaque observation on the next day considered as pregnancy. The pregnant rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, control group (Without treatment), sham (recipient physiologic serum), and two treatment groups (received 0.2cc of aqueous extract of Berberis vulgaris at doses of 20 and 50 mg/kg/bw) by intraperitoneal injection daily from the 6th -10th day of gestation. At the end of the 14th and 20th day of pregnancy, Rats were dissected and embryos were removed from their uterus. Then, fetal livers were removed and fixed in 10% formalin. Longitudinal and transverse sections were prepared. In microscopic study, The slides of 14-day-old fetal liver that treated with both doses did not change significantly, but in 20-day-old fetuses, increased Kupffer cells, sinusoidal hyperemia, lymphocytic inflammation, vascular endothelium destruction and hepatocyte aggregation, especially in maximum dose were observed. Obtained results showed that the consumption of barberry fruit extract related to dose and time of consumption has negative effect on the embryonic development of liver. Therefore, it should be used with caution during pregnancy.

کلیدواژه ها:

Tissue changes ، Barberry ، Liver ، Embry