Effect of ficus deltoidea var. kunstleri (mas cotek) supplementation on skeletal development in rats fetus / Nurhanisah Saharudin

Supplementation of Ficus deltoidea var. kunstleri (FDVK) is known to be popular herbs using by old folks in treating of different illness. The information on the safety of FDVK taken during pregnancy is very limited. Hence, the study regarding FDVK developmental toxicity on the skeletal fetus including its safety for consumption during pregnancy requires investigation. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the effect of FDVK supplementation on skeletal development of fetuses during pregnancy. A total of 15 pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups (n=5) consists of a negative control group and two FDVK supplementation groups. The negative control group rat’s was administered with distilled water while the rats in other two groups were supplemented with FDVK aqueous extract at 1000 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg body weight via oral gavage. The supplementation was given during gestation period from days 6 to 20.The pregnant rats were euthanized and necropsied on day 21. The fetuses were collected from gravid uterus and litter were cleared and stained with Alizarin Red S for skeletal evaluation. The result showed increase occurrence in FDVK aqueous extract supplementation including incomplete ossification of os frontale, sternebra 6 (xiphisternum), additional ossification of os interparietale and absence of hyoid bone. Even though statistically significant at one or more FDVK dose levels, the increased occurrence of these skeletal abnormalities was not dose dependent. All the skeletal abnormalities generally considered as variation except the missing bone considered permanent change in hyoid body that classified as malformation. It can conclude that FDVK may possibly cause delayed on bone ossification during embryogenesis particularly on hyoid bone, however further study need to be conducted to investigate the similar effect during post natal period