Abstract:
Camphor mutagenicity in pregnant rats has been evaluated in bone marrow cells at three different intervals of pregnancy period by using the chromosomal aberrations and micronucleus analysis. One hundred and thirty pregnant rats were used. Four experimental groups were used for this study, each group consist of 30 pregnant females received treatments orally on the 1st day of gestation, first group given corn oil, the other three groups have given camphor at the levels of 5, 10 and 20 mg kg-1 b.wt. Control group consists of ten females received a single intraperitoneal injection of 25 mg kg-1 b.wt. cyclophosphamide. Pregnant females of treated and control groups were sacrificed at 7, 14 and 20 days of gestation. At the beginning, the oral administration of camphor to pregnant female rats induced an increase in the percentage (abortion) and this increase corresponds to the dose of camphor they received further. Camphor caused an increase in the frequencies of individuals and total chromosomal aberrations as compared to control at the three different doses and intervals, but these increase were non significant. Data of micronucleus analysis showed that there was no significant differences in the frequencies of micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) induced by camphor different doses at the three intervals and those of control.It is concluded that camphor has no mutagenic activity and the abortion of treated pregnant rats not due to the mutagenicity of camphor but may be due to hormonal disturbance exhibited by camphor.
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