Abstract: OBJECTIVE:To study teratogenic effects of chestnut shell extract in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. METHODS:Pregnant SD rats were randomly divided into five groups:low,middle and high dosages of chestnut shell extract groups,negative control group and positive control group. The negative control group was given distilled water and the positive control group was given 13 mg/kg vitamin A. The extracts were given intra-gastrically at the 6th to 15th day of gestation,and the pregnant rats were killed at the 20th day of gestation. RESULTS:Compared with the negative control group,the positive control group showed reduced body weight,weight gain and net weight gain from the 9th to the 20th day. In the positive control group,the body weight and body length were obviously decreased,and the rate of deformity,of viscera malformation,and of skeleton malformation were obviously increased. The positive control group showed obvious teratogenic effects. However,there was no significant difference between each dose group and the negative control group. CONCLUSION:Under our experimental conditions,the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of chestnut shell extract on female rats and fetus was above 3.33 g/kg.

Key words: chestnut shell extract, teratogenicity, SD rat, teratogenicity test