Effect of saffron on mouse embryo development

Saffron is widely used as a food additive, as an important ingredient of Arabic coffee and as an herbal medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high and low doses of aqueous saffron extract on mice embryos development. Pregnant mice were divided into three groups of fifteen animals each. Group 1 received 10ml/kg body weight double distilled water as control, group 2 was treated with 100 mg saffron / kg body weight and group 3 was treated with 2.5 mg saffron / kg body weight. Doses were administered for 5 days during the first and second weeks of gestation and for four days during the third week of gestation. Embryos were extracted on day 14, 18 of gestation and day 1 neonates. Whole body weight, whole body length, tail length, half head circumference and eye dimensions of the embryos and neonates were recorded. Congenital malformations of all groups were studied. Both treatments caused embryonic growth parameters to be significantly less than the controls. Congenital malformations were seen in treated embryos and neonates such as subcutaneous bleeding and head malformations. It was concluded that oral administration of both doses of saffron might cause intrauterine growth retardation and congenital malformations to mouse embryos. (Fatma Al-Qudsi and Amal Ayedh. Effect of saffron on mouse embryo development. J Am Sci 2012;8(12):1554- 1568). (ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.jofamericanscience.org. 207