Teratogenic Potential of Garbha Chintamani Rasa in Wistar Albino Rats with focus on physical and behaviour changes.
Teratogens are the substances that may produce physical or functional defects in the human embryo or after the pregnant woman exposed to the substance. Exposure to the teratogenic drugs affects the foetus or embryo in a variety of ways, such as the duration of exposure, the amount of teratogenic substance, and the stage of development the embryo or foetus is in during the exposure. Teratogens may affect the embryo or foetus causing physical malformations, problems in the behavioural or emotional development of the child, and decreased intellectual quotient (IQ) in the child. The present study was carried out to assess the teratogenic potential of Garbhachintamani Rasa in Wistar albino rats based on physical and behaviroal abnormalities. The experiment was designed in such a way that the conformed pregnant rats were selected and administered with Garbhachintamani Rasa for 21 consecutive days. The delivered pups were assessed for teratogenicity based on the physical and behavioural parameter in a set of behaviroal tests such as open field test, rota rod and swimming test at different developing periods. The results showed that, there was significant physical and behavioural alteration in the test drug administered at higher dose level as compared to normal control. Thus it can be concluded that the test drug GCR at therapeutic dose showed well tolerated and nearly normal behavioral pattern, whereas at higher dose it can cause behavioral abnormalities in pups.