Different Effects of Rhizoma Pinelliae Processed by Ginger or Decocting on Gestation and Embryonic Development of Mice

OBJECTIVE To study the different effects of Rhizoma Pinelliae(RP) processed by ginger or decocting on the gestation and embryonic development of mice， thus investigating the influential factors on abating toxicity of RP. METHODS Four groups were designed in which mice were treated respectively with PR suspension， ginger processed PR (GPPR) suspension， PR decoction and drinking water. Acute toxicity testing and Teratogenic sensitive period reproductive toxicity testing were used to compare the acute toxicity and effects on gestation and embryonic development of mice. RESULTS In acute toxicity testing， the mortality in mice were respectively 50% and 22.2% in PR suspension group and PR decoction group. However， there was not any significant deviation between the control group and GPPR suspension group. In terms of reproductive toxicity testing， the maternal mortality of PR suspension group (6 g/kg) reached 30%， while gestational maternal weight gain was significantly lower and the tail length (TL) of embryos was significantly shorter than the control group. There were no any maternal effects but the crown-rump length (CRL) of embryos was significantly shorter than the control group after treated with PR decoction (30 g/kg). There were no significant differences between the GPPR suspension Group (6 g/kg) and the control group.CONCLUSION Acute toxicity， maternal toxicity and embryo toxicity were all identified within the PR suspension group while none maternal toxicity was detected within the PR decoction group， however， the growth and development of embryos were affected in the PR decoction group. There was not any maternal toxicity or embryo toxicity in the GPPR suspension group.