Safety profile of Hoodia gordonii extract: mouse prenatal developmental toxicity study.

Hoodia gordonii extract (0, 5, 15 or 50mg/kg body weight/day, n=24 mice/group) was orally administered by gavage to female CD-1 mice from gestation days 5-17. On gestation day 18 the females were euthanized and examined. Treatment at 50mg/kg/day caused a marked reduction in feed intake and body weight gain. Feed consumption was sporadically reduced at 15 mg/kg/day. At 50 or 15 mg/kg/day fetal weights, ossification of some bones and full and empty uterus weights were reduced. There were no clear maternal or fetal effects at 5mg/kg/day. Reproductive indices were unaffected at all doses and there were no treatment-related malformations, anomalies or variations. The overall study no-observed-adverse-effect level was set at 5mg/kg/day. In summary, at doses that reduced maternal feed consumption, H. gordonii extract delayed fetal development. The fetal effects seen could be consequent to reduced maternal feed consumption, the desired biological activity of the test item.