Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: To study the teratogenic effect of fat emulsion of seal oil in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Wistar rats were divided into three groups each trated with different dosages of test drug(800, 400 and 200 mg/kg), one positive group (cyclophosphamide) and one negative control group (normal saline). On days 15-20 of pregnancy, the drug was injected via tail vein for ten days consecutively. RESULTS: The body weight gains of pregnant rats were significantly lower in the 200 mg/kg group than those of the control group (P<0.05). The embryonic body weights and body lengths of the 400 mg/kg group were significantly less than those of the control group (P<0.05). Compared with negative control group, the number of absorbed embryos was increased significantly in the 800 mg/kg group (P<0.05). The numbers of living embryos, absorbed embryos, dead embryos, the weight, body length and tail length showed no significant differences between the treated groups and the negative control group (P>0.05). No abnormaility was observed in the growth of the skeletal and internal organs in rat fetuses in any groups. CONCLUSION: Seal oil emulsion at 200 mg/kg caused maternal toxicity for pregnant rats, characterized by decreased body weight. Seal oil emulsion at 400 mg/kg led to embryotoxicity. Seal oil emulsion at 800 mg/kg had no teratogenic effects on skeletal and internal organs.

Key words: fat emulsion of seal oil, teratogenic effects, rat