Reproductive and developmental outcomes, and influence on maternal and offspring tissue mineral concentrations, of (−)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, and rutin ingestion prior to, and during pregnancy and lactation in C57BL/6J mice

Abstract

HighlightsMaternal food intake, body weights, and tissue weights were not affected by the dietary treatments.RU2 dams had alterations in liver zinc, copper, and calcium compared to the other treatment groups.Fetal and placental weights, and number of implantation sites and resorption sites per litter were similar across treatment groups.Offspring food intake, body weight, litter size, survival, sex, and skeletal development were similar among groups.EC1 and EC2 offspring had alterations in liver copper and iron (EC2 only). RU1 and RU2 had alterations in liver calcium.

Examining the potential benefits of (-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, and rutin on maternal and offspring cardiovascular outcomes in LDLr-/- mice exposed to an atherogenic environment during early development

“…First, the respective flavonoids are present in common foods in the diet and are consumed in relatively high amounts by European and American adults [36,37,38]. Second, we observed that high intakes of these compounds during gestation and lactation are not associated with any marked negative developmental effects [30]. Third, the consumption of these classes of flavonoids has been associated with improvements in vascular health in diverse populations [9,39,40].…”

“…There is limited literature on the subject. Accordingly, we examined the effects of maternal consumption of high levels of certain flavonoid on the mother and progeny in a mouse model [30]. Our data revealed that the chronic consumption of maternal diets containing high amounts of flavanols (epicatechin and catechin) or flavonols (rutin) throughout gestation and lactation did not affect litter size, fetal development, postnatal survival, skeletal development or postnatal body weight of the offspring and were not associated with developmental toxic effects.…”

Spleen content of selected polyphenols, splenocytes morphology and function in mice fed Rhodiola kirilowii extracts during pregnancy and lactation

“…It was ingested prior to, and during pregnancy and lactation and had affected reproductive and developmental processes. It also influenced maternal and offspring tissue mineral concentrations (Lesser et al 2015). Authors observed alterations in maternal and offspring liver mineral concentrations, and no marked developmental effects.…”

Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Orally Administered Botanical Composition, UP446‐Part III: Effects on Fertility and Early Embryonic Development to Implantation in Sprague Dawley Rats

“…For instance, when catechin was administered to mated female rats from gestation day 6 to 17, at doses of 200, 600, and 2000 mg/kg/day, catechin did not impact the mean gravid uterine weights or intrauterine growth, survival, fetal malformations, or developmental variations (Morita et al, 2009). In a similar perspective, when female C57BL/6J mice were provided with 2% (+)-catechin and epicatechin in diet before, during pregnancy, and lactation, the authors reported that offspring food intake, body weight, litter size, survival, sex, and skeletal development were unaffected even though some changes in liver mineral concentration for copper and iron were noticed (Lesser et al, 2015). Complementing the above findings, Tian et al (2009) have also reported that oral administration of aqueous extract of S. baicalensis roots at a dosage as high as 32 g/kg/day to maternal Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) mice during organogenesis (gestation day 6-15) did not cause significant fetal external or skeletal malformations.…”