Title
One-generation reproductive toxicity study of DHA-rich oil in rats
Author
Blum, R.
Kiy, T.
Waalkens-Berendsen, I.
Wong, A.W.
Roberts, A.
TNO Kwaliteit van Leven
Publication year
2007
Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are natural constituents of the human diet. DHA-algal oil is produced through the use of the marine protist, Ulkenia sp. The reproductive toxicity of DHA-algal oil was assessed in a one-generation study. Rats were provided diets containing DHA-algal oil at concentrations of 1.5, 3.0, or 7.5%, and the control group received a diet containing 7.5% corn oil. Males and females were treated for 10 weeks prior to mating and during mating. Females continued to receive test diets during gestation and lactation. In parental animals, clinical observations, mortality, fertility, and reproductive performance were unaffected by treatment. Differences in food consumption, body weight, and liver weight in the treated groups were not considered to be due to an adverse effect of DHA-algal oil. Spleen weight increases in treated animals were associated with extramedullary hematopoiesis. Yellow discoloration of abdominal adipose tissue was observed in rats from the high-dose group, and histological examination revealed steatitis in all treated parental groups. Exposure to DHA-algal oil did not influence the physical development of F1 animals. These results demonstrate that DHA-algal oil at dietary concentrations of up to 7.5% in rats does not affect reproductive capacity or pup development. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Subject
Toxicology
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
ω-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acid
DHA
DHA-rich oil
Docosahexaenoic acid
Food ingredient
Reproductive and developmental toxicity
Safety
algal oil
docosahexaenoic acid
lipid
adipose tissue
animal experiment
animal model
animal tissue
article
body weight
controlled study
diet
fat intake
female
fertility
food intake
liver weight
male
mortality
nonhuman
priority journal
rat
reproductive toxicity
spleen weight
toxicity testing
Algae
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Birth Weight
Docosahexaenoic Acids
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Eating
Embryonic Development
Female
Fetal Development
Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary
Liver
Male
Oils
Organ Size
Pituitary Gland
Pregnancy
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Reproduction
Spleen
Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal
Toxicity Tests
Weight Gain
algae
Animalia
Protista
Rattus
Ulkenia sp.
Zea mays
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:a65b3a5e-c7e3-4e9e-9ba4-dbef56cd75e9
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2007.08.004
TNO identifier
240337
ISSN
0273-2300
Source
Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 49 (3), 260-270
Document type
article