A Comparison Study of the Effects of Echinacea purpurea Ethanolic Extract and Mesna on Cyclophosphamide-Induced Macroscopic Fetal Defects in Rats

Objective(s)Quinazolinones are heterocyclic compounds, with biological and pharmacological activities, such asinhibiting some proteins, enzymes and reducing blood lipids.Materials and MethodsFollowing previous results of our group, effects of two new derivatives of quinazolinones9(3)-quinazolinone-2-propyl-2-phenylethyl (QPPE) and 9(3)-quinazolinone-2-ethyl-2–phenylethyl (QEPE)on livers, intestines and kidneys of newborn Balb/C mice were investigated. Pregnant mice were divided intofour groups of control, sham, experimental 1, treated with QPPE, and experimental 2, treated with QEPE.Experimental groups received 100 mg/kg body weight (most effective dose) of QPPE and QEPE, shamgroups received methyl cellulose 0.05% (the solvent) and control groups received distilled water,intraperitoneally (IP), on day 8 of gestation. Five days after birth, livers, intestines and kidneys wereremoved, fixed in formalin 10%, stained with hematoxylene and eosin for histological and pathologicalstudies.ResultsResults showed appearance of fatty changes in livers, an increase in diameters of hepatocytes and centralveins of livers, and reduction in the lengths of villi of proximal, middle and distal segments of newbornBalb/C mice intestines. Furthermore, there was a diminished diameter of the lumen of the proximal tubules,and average diameter of the lumen of distal tubules which led to an increase in the number of glomeruli cellsof newborn Balb/C mice kidneys.ConclusionRegarding inflammation in different parts of the kidneys, livers and intestines, our investigations suggest thatquinazolinones may have some toxic effects on embryos.Keywords: Abnormalities, Intestine, Kidney, Liver, Mice fetuses, Quinazolinones