The Effect of Quercus infectoria Acorn on Clinical, Hematobiochemical Parameters of Pregnant Albino Rats

Abstract

Background: Quercus infectoria is a kind of forest tree widely used for livestock feeding within the northern parts of Iraq with little was known about the Quercus infectoria toxicity mainly in pregnant animals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential effect of Quercus infectoria acorn on the pregnant albino rats. Methods: This study was conducted on the Wistar pregnant rats, using aqueous extract of the acorn at doses of 2 grams/ rat for a period of 10 days. The effect of the quercus acorn on the animal behavior, pregnancy hematobiochemical parameters was investigated compared to the control groups. Result: Neither mortality, nor significant changes in animals’ behavior were detected in treated rats; whereas, abortion and early parturition with lower weight of the pups were observed in treated pregnant rats. Significant increases in red blood cells, packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration, means corpuscular volume and means corpuscular hemoglobin and levels of neutrophils and eosinophil were reported in treated rats compared to the control groups. Besides, blood urea nitrogen and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly increased in the treated group. Study results suggest that the aqueous extract of Quercus infectoria acorn has potential toxic effects on pregnancy.