Aim/Background: Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is associated during pregnancy with increased mortality and morbidity maternal-infantile rate, malformations and fetal or neonatal death. To avoid the death or malformations of fetuses the Indian communities use Urtica chamaedroydes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of the decoction of U .chamaedroydes (chichicastle) to restore the hematopoiesis in pregnant mice and to avoid malformations in fetuses. Methods: Forty female mice CD1, 8–12 weeks were distributed in groups A, B and C with ten animals each. Anemia was induced in groups A, B and C by courts in tail twice a week during 15 days. Hematological determinations were performed on days 0, 15 and 34. On day 15 the pregnancy was induced in all anemic mice and the healthy control group (D). During the gestation, groups A and D did not receive treatment. Group B was treated with a decoction of Urtica chamaedroydes (4 g/L) as drinking water and Group C with two sc administrations of 200 mg/kg of FeSO4. On day 34 all groups were sacrificed. Results: Groups treated with the decoction of U. chamaedroydes or FeSO4 recovered the normal level of erythrocytes and platelets, none statistically significant differences were found between the concentration of these elements among days 0 and 34 within the same group. Neither the decoction nor FeSO4 allowed recover the normal level of leukocytes. From the total fetuses, malformations were observed in 80 20, 5, 10 % of Groups A, B, D and C, respectively. Conclusion: These results could support the traditional medicinal use of this plant in the treatment of the anemia and to prevent malformations. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2013; 2(1.000): 37-42
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations鈥揷itations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.