Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Hum Reprod. 2011 Dec;26(12):3280-8. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der335. Epub 2011 Oct 6.
Largehead Atractylodes Rhizome (LAR) is the most commonly used Chinese medicine to prevent early pregnancy loss due to threatened miscarriage. However, its safety profile during pregnancy is still not available. Here we aimed to identify the potential adverse effects of LAR on embryo-fetal development as well as prenatal and post-natal growth.
Pregnant mice, rats and rabbits were orally administered with LAR extracts in various doses (from 1×, 2×, 3× and up to 6× clinical doses) at different gestational periods (implantation, gastrulation, organogenesis, maturation and whole gestation). Maternal effects on weight loss, implantation failure and fetal resorption and perinatal effects on developmental delay, growth restriction and congenital malformations were studied.
In mice, with early LAR exposure, a significant decrease in fetal growth parameters and a significant increase in post-implantation loss were identified. With late LAR exposure, significant increases in gestational duration as well as prenatal and post-natal mortality were found. At high clinical doses, congenital skeletal malformations were recorded. In rabbits, fetal resorption, hydrops fetalis and short ear anomaly were observed. No significant adverse effects were found in rats.
Potential reproductive toxicity of LAR in pregnant animals was identified within the clinical dose. Caution should be taken in clinical applications of LAR during pregnancy.
白术是最常用于预防因先兆流产导致的早期妊娠丢失的中药。然而，其在妊娠期的安全性仍不清楚。本研究旨在明确白术提取物对胚胎-胎儿发育以及产前和产后生长的潜在不良影响。
给予怀孕小鼠、大鼠和家兔不同剂量（临床剂量的 1 倍、2 倍、3 倍和 6 倍）的白术提取物，在不同的妊娠时期（着床、原肠胚形成、器官发生、成熟和整个妊娠）进行口服给药。研究母鼠体重减轻、着床失败和胎儿吸收以及围产期发育迟缓、生长受限和先天畸形等对胎儿的影响。
在小鼠中，早期暴露于白术会导致胎儿生长参数显著下降和着床后丢失显著增加。晚期暴露于白术会导致妊娠时间延长，以及产前和产后死亡率增加。在高临床剂量下，记录到先天性骨骼畸形。在兔子中，观察到胎儿吸收、胎儿水肿和短耳畸形。在大鼠中未发现明显的不良影响。
白术在妊娠动物中具有潜在的生殖毒性，在妊娠期临床应用中应谨慎。
