RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 24 (3) December 2012, p. 1550-1558

EFFECTS OF TOCOTRIENOL SUPPLEMENTATION ON PREGNANCY OUTCOME IN MICE SUBJECTED TO MATERNAL CORTICOSTERONE ADMINISTRATION

NASIBAH, A* ; RAJIKIN, M.H.* ; NOR-ASHIKIN, M.N.K.* ; NURALIZA, A.S.*

ABSTRACT

The present study was designed to observe the beneficial effects of tocotrienol (TCT) supplementation on pregnancy outcome in corticosterone (CORT)-treated mice. CORT is reported to adversely affect pregnancy outcomes in mice. Seven- to eight-week-old female mice (Mus musculus) were divided into five groups and subjected to their respective treatment for the first seven days of pregnancy. Group 1 (control group) had 0.1 ml corn oil intraperitoneal (ip) and orally per day. Group 2 had CORT (10 mg kg-1 in 0.1 ml corn oil) ip and 0.1 ml corn oil orally per day. Animals of Group 3, 4 and 5 received CORT concurrently with TCT at the dose of 60, 90 and 120 mg kg-1 in 0.1 ml corn oil orally per day. On Day 7 of pregnancy, laparotomy was done to determine the number of implantation sites and to observe any resorption signs. Litter sizes were measured at birth and compared with the number of implantations to determine the resorption rate in various groups. The results of this study showed that the number of implantation sites in the group treated with CORT and 120 mg kg-1 TCT (Group 5) was significantly higher (p<0.05) as compared to CORT-treated mice (Group 2). On the other hand, the resorption rate in CORT-treated mice (Group 2) was significantly higher (p<0.001) as compared to control (Group 1). Conversely, TCT at the dose of 120 mg kg-1 given to CORT-treated mice (Group 5) reduced the resorption rate towards control. Therefore, the optimum dose of TCT that is able to overcome the effect of CORT on the implantation numbers and resorption rate is 120 mg kg-1 body weight (BW). This finding suggests that TCT administration is able to reverse the adverse effects of CORT on pregnancy outcome.

KEYWORDS:


* Faculty of Medicine,
Universiti Teknologi MARA,
40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
E-mail: nuraliza064@salam.uitm.edu.my