Development of pregnancy in rats treated withHypericum perforatum

Investigation of the embryotoxic and teratogenic effect of Hypericum perforatum in pregnant rats

Objective:

Hypericum perforatum (HP) is a herbal product used in the treatment of depression, but its harm on the fetus has not been established. This study investigated the effects of HP according to fetal clinical, morphologic, and histologic findings. Study design is an animal study.

Materials and Methods:

Fifty-four 4-5-month-old female Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control, 100 mg/kg HP, and 300 mg/kg HP. HP treatment using drinking water was started one week before mating and ended with the delivery of pups.

Results:

HP exposure before conception diminished the pregnancy rate and decreased the fetal number; during pregnancy it tended to increase the duration of gestation, and deteriorated the fetal development as determined using body weight. It also damaged liver and kidney tissues, most probably due to oxidative stress, as supported through inducible nitric oxide synthase antibody staining findings at both doses.

Conclusion:

HP should not be recommended to women who would like to be pregnant or are pregnant because it can be harmful for both fetal and maternal health.

Amended safety assessment of Hypericum perforatum-derived ingredients as used in cosmetics

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (Panel) has issued an amended safety assessment of 7 Hypericum perforatum-derived ingredients as used in cosmetics. A common name for this plant is St John wort. These ingredients function in cosmetics as skin-conditioning agents-miscellaneous and antimicrobial agents. The Panel reviewed relevant animal and human data related to the H perforatum-derived ingredients. Because formulators may use more than 1 botanical ingredient in a formulation, caution was urged to avoid levels of toxicological concern for constituent chemicals and impurities. The Panel concluded that H perforatum-derived ingredients were safe as cosmetic ingredients in the practices of use and concentration as described in this safety assessment.

Complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of depressive disorders in women

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies are commonly practiced in the United States and are used more frequently among women than men. This article reviews several CAM treatments for depressive disorders in women, with a focus on major depressive disorder across the reproductive life cycle. The CAM therapies selected for this review (ie, S-adenosylmethionine, omega-3 fatty acids, St John's wort, bright light therapy, acupuncture, and exercise) were based on their prevalence of use and the availability of randomized, placebo-controlled data. Further study is necessary to delineate the role of specific CAM therapies in premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, antepartum and postpartum depression, lactation, and the menopausal transition.

Recovering effects of aqueous extracts of some selected medical plants on the teratogenic effects during the development of D. melanogaster

In this study the effects of some selected medical plants (Pimpinella anisum L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Achillea millefolium L., Acorus calamus L., Hypericum perforatum L.) on the development of Drosophila melanogaster have been investigated. When the different concentration of plant extracts were applied to the cultures of Drosophila melanogaster, they did not caused an elongation of metamorphosis of F1 progeny. Furthermore, depending on an increase of plant extract on the application groups, the number of offsprings increased. But this increasing (for application groups no. I, II and IV) was not statistically significant (p > 0.05) according to control group. The highest increase in the total number of offspring of F1 progeny obtained from applications of Acorus calamus extracts and the 10 mL/100 mL medium concentration of the extract of Hypericum perforatum.