Abstract
Ethanol extracts of seeds of Psoralea corylifolia are proposed as food additives for processed food preservation. An extract was administered by admixing into diet at concentrations of 0, 0.375, 0.75, 1.5 or 3.0% to 10 male and 10 female F344 rats each for 90 days to evaluate its toxicity. Body weight gain, food consumption and food conversion efficiency (body weight gain per food consumption) were lower in the extract-treated animals, except for the 0.375% males, as compared to the control animals. Absolute and/or relative testes weights in the 1.5 and 3.0% groups and those of ovaries in the 3.0% group were significantly (p<0.01) lower than in the control group. On histopathological examination, seminiferous tubular atrophy and Leydig cell atrophy in the testes, and epithelial cell atrophy in the seminal vesicles and prostate were observed in the 1.5 and 3.0% males. Decrease in the number of corpora lutea associated with frequent necrotic follicles in the ovaries in the 1.5 and 3.0% females and less frequent endometrial glands in the uterus in the 3.0% females were also detected. These results might suggest disruption of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis in Psoralea corylifolia-treated rats as possible mechanisms underlying this gonadal toxicity.
