Effects of dichloromethane and butanol fractions of Gochnatia polymorpha subsp. floccosa in maternal reproductive outcome, embryo-fetal development and DNA integrity in mice

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Gochnatia polymorpha ssp. floccosa (Asteraceae) also known as ‘‘Cambara’’ is used as medicinal plant in Brazil to treat infections and inflammation. Previous studies showed that its ethanolic extract could be bioprospecting of a new anti-inflammatory phytotherapy for use during pregnancy. This work aimed to evaluate dichloromethane (DCM) and butanolic (BT) fractions from G. polymorpha on embryo-fetal development and DNA integrity in mice. Materials and methods Female mice were treated with 50 and 20 mg/kg of the DCM and BT fractions, respectively, during organogenesis and gestational period. Results and conclusion The present study shows that DCM and BT fractions from G. polymorpha possess mutagenic activity but are not teratogenic. Based on the fact that the reproductive indices are similar in control and treated animals, we may infer that the mutagenic effect was in somatic cell, at least in part, because the reabsorption number and reabsorption rates did not change in DCM and BT exposed groups.