Mechanism of the delayed puberty onset in offspring of rats that consumed aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa during pregnancy.

Consumption of extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa (family: malvaceae) during pregnancy has been shown to cause maternal malnutrition which has been linked to various adverse conditions like increased postnatal weight gain, delayed puberty onset and elevated body weight and body mass index at onset of puberty in the female offspring. The present study was designed to investigate the possible mechanism underlying this. Eighteen in-bred pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were on day 1 of pregnancy, randomly divided into three groups of six animals each. Group A (control) was given tap water to drink. Group B was given 0.6g extract/100ml while Group C was given 1.8g extract/100ml as their drinking solution. All groups received normal rat chow and their drinking solution ad libitum. Fluid and food intake and dam weights were measured daily throughout pregnancy. On gestational day 18, blood sample was withdrawn from each rat for estimation of plasma Na ion and corticosterone levels. On the day of delivery, the solutions of the extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa were withdrawn and replaced with tap water. After 21 days, the pups were weaned to tap water and food ad libitum. Pups weight and age and body mass index at onset of puberty were measured. The results of the present study showed that the increased postnatal weight gain, delayed puberty onset and elevated body mass index at onset of puberty in the offspring of rats that consumed HS during pregnancy was associated with elevated maternal plasma Na ion and corticosterone levels during pregnancy.