Lactational Exposure to an Aqueous Extract of Hibiscus Sabdariffa (Hs) Accelerates Offspring's Early Postnatal Growth in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate whether or not lactational exposure to HS affects offspring's postnatal growth. Three groups (five rats per group) of pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used for this study. Group C had tap water while groups A and B had 0.6g and 1.8g HS extract respectively in 100ml tap water to drink throughout pregnancy. All groups had normal rat chow ad libitum. On the day of birth, birth weights were recorded and four pups from each dam in group C were substituted for 4 pups (two pups each) from dams in groups A and B. Thereafter, weights were recorded at 10 days, 14 days, 20 days and 34 days postpartum. Results of the present study show a statistically significant growth increase (p<0.05) in group A pups at all periods of measurement compared with groups B and C pups while group B pups showed decreased growth at 10 days, comparable growth at 14 days and increased growth (p<0.05) at 20 and 34 days postpartum compared with group C pups. From the present study, we conclude that lactational exposure to an aqueous extract of HS accelerates offspring's early postnatal growth through a mechanism not yet known.