Calabash Clay (Nzu) Affects Pregnancy in Whistar Albino Rats

Calabash clay (Nzu) is a natural product, locally prepared from clay, sand and other non‐nutritional components with or without salt. Nzu has been reported to contain heavy metals and is widely used as a traditional remedy for morning sickness during pregnancy and breastfeeding in most African countries, including Nigeria. The present study was carried out in female Whistar albino rats to explore its effect on pregnancy. Pregnant rats weighing 150–170 g were randomized into 3 groups (n=8 per group) and orally administered 0, 400 or 800 mg/kg body weight of Nzu. The treatments were started on the first day of pregnancy and continued till delivery. Rats were laprotomised after delivery under deep diethylether anaesthesia and the two horns of uteri were examined to determine the implantation sites and presence of resorption sites. Maternal body weight and number of pups delivered were recorded. Data obtained were analysed using students t Test where appropriate and expressed as mean±SEM. Animal experiments were conducted in accordance with our institutional ethical guidelines on animal research. There was maternal body weight gain over time in control rats (p < 0.0001;p = 0.0026), but in treated groups, body weight increased only between gestation day 0 (GD0) and GD10 (p = 0.0022;p = 0.0005) but not afterwards, p = 0.1479;p = 0.7497 ( Fig. 1). Additionally, whereas, all control rats gave birth, only 6 (62.5 %) and 1 (12.5 %) of Nzu (400 and 800 mg/kg) treated rats gave birth. Besides, 2 (5 %) of the births that occurred in 400 mg/kg Nzu treated rats were still births ( Table 1). Further, number of implantations in Nzu treated rats were lower (p = 0.0262; p = 0.0004) compared with control, as well as number of pups delivered, p = 0.0084; p < 0.0001 ( Table 2). The number of pups delivered in Nzu treated rats were fewer than the number of implantations observed, whereas both were equal in control. The results demonstrate that maternal exposure to Nzu dose‐dependently affects pregnancy outcome by potentially inhibiting maternal weight gain, fetal growth, and causing resorption or loss of pregnancy. 1 Effect of Calabash clay (Nzu) on pregnancy outcome in Whistar albino ratsDose (mg/kg) No. of rats that gave birth Total no. of implantations Total no. of live pups delivered No. of still births No. of resorptionsControl 8 75 75 0 0 400 5 47 38 2 7 800 1 19 8 0 112 Calabash clay (Nzu) exposure during pregnancy reduces number of implantations and pups delivered in Whistar albino ratsDose (mg/kg) No. of implantations No. of live pupsControl 9.38±0.46 9.38±0.46 400 5.88±1.59 * 5.00±1.55 ** 800 2.38±1.56 *** 1.00±1.00 **** P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, compared to control. Values in mean±SEM, n = 8