Fentahun Adane et al. J Toxicol. 2022.
*Note: Thymus schimperi Belongs to the genus Thymus and the family Lamiaceae.
Abstract
Background
In Ethiopian traditional medicine, the aerial parts of Thymus schimperi are widely used to treat diseases such as gonorrhea, cough, liver disease, kidney disease, hypertension, stomach pain, and fungal skin infections. In addition, they have been used as vegetables to flavor a broad variety of food products. However, there is an insufficient investigation of the toxic effect of Thymus schimperi essential oil. The aim of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the developmental toxicity of the essential oil of Thymus schimperi leaves on developing rat embryos and fetuses.
Methods
Essential oil of the aerial parts of Thymus schimperi was extracted by hydrodistillation. Pregnant Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups. The doses 65 mg/kg, 130 mg/kg, and 260 mg/kg of the essential of Thymus schimperi were administered by force feeding to the III–V groups, respectively. Groups I and II were negative and ad libitum control groups. The embryos and fetuses were revealed on days 12 and 20 of gestations, respectively. The embryos were examined for developmental delays or growth retardation. Gross external, skeletal, and visceral anomalies in the fetuses were examined.
Conclusion:
The results of the developmental toxicity test show that administration of a high dose (260 mg/kg) of the essential oil of T. schimperi caused significant delays in fetal and embryonic development, a decrease in the number of implantation sites, and an increase in resorption number, suggesting its developmental toxicity. Similarly, higher doses of T. schimperi essential oil resulted in a significant reduction in maternal weight gain, placenta weight, and litter weight.Furthermore, at the middle (130 mg/kg) and high doses (260 mg/kg) of the essential oil extract, there was significant retardation in the development of the otic system, olfactory system, and branchial bars. Therefore, pregnant women should have a general awareness that risks could be associated with taking the essential oil during pregnancy, and too much T. schimperi during pregnancy may be harmful.
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