Effect of saint john?s wort (hypericum perforatum) on the liver of rat fetuses

Because of the toxic and teratologic side effects that might develop in fetus, the number of drugs usable in the treatment of depression seen in pregnancy is fairly limitedIn this study, we investigated whether the Saint John?s worth used during pregnancy has side effects on the liver of fetus.Thirteen Wistar albino female rats were used in the study.The animals divided into two groups as 8 rats for the experiment group and 5 rats for the control group. The animals detected as pregnant in the experiment group were fed with the Saint John?s wort extract as 100 mg/kg/day thorugh orogastric probe during pregnancy starting from the first day of the pregnancy. The animals in the control group were fed with 2 ml distiled water through an orogastric probe every day begining from the first day of the pregnancy. The newborn pups are taken. Their liver tissues are extracted and investigated after the tissue processing and staining.Microvesicular lipidosis and hydropic degeneration were observed in histopathological assesment of the extracted tissues of experiment group.As a result, there is not enough data in the literature in order to claim that Saint John?s worth is reliable for the pregnant women or fetus. For the confidentially usage of this herb as an alternative or addition to antidepressive drugs more preclinical (basic) and clinical studies need to be performed.Keywords: Saint John?s wort, fetus, liver.