Perinatal exposure of biochanin-A induced abnormalities in offspring of rats

Estrogenic activity is found with many phytoestroge ns, including Biochanin-A (BC-A). The present study is to examine the effect of prenatal and perinatal exposu re of BC-A on developmental land marks and behavior in wistar rats. The mated female rats were injected wi th 25, 50 and 100 mg BC-A/Kg body weight on 12 th , 14 th , 16 th and 18 th day of gestation. The exposure was continued up to completion of weaning period. After weaning, male and female pups were separated and maintained in separate cages with normal pellet diet and tap water ad libitum. The developmental landmarks and behavior of young ones were recorded starting from birth to completion of weaning. Observed significant decrease (p 0.05) were recorded in fur development and ear o pening in exposed young ones. Whereas significant i ncrease in pinna detachment (p<0.05), upper incisor eruptio n (p<0.05) and preputial separation (p<0.005) were observed in pups perinatally exposed to 100 mg BC-A only. In contrast, significant decrease in anogenital dista nce (AGD) (p<0.05) in male and female pups was observed at 100 mg BC-A trans-placental exposure. In case of cro wn rump length (CRL), we observed significance (p<0.05) at 50 and 100 mg BC-A trans-placental exposure. Decrease in survival index was also observed on PND 1 and 14 in young rats exposed perinatally to BC-A. Besides ab ove results, rat pups perinatally exposed to 50 and 100 mg BC-A showed significant increase in lower incis or eruption (p<0.05), eye opening (p<0.005), vaginal opening (p <0.005) and testis descent (p<0.05). These data dem onstrate that significant alterations in developmental landm arks of young rats exposed transplacentally and per inatally to BC-A.