Abstract: Objective To investigate toxicity and teratogenic effect of Microula seed oil on embryo of rat.Methods 150 mature Wistar rats (100 females, 50 males) were selected with female∶ male = 2∶1 cage match. During the daily morning examination the sperm was discovered in the vagina as the zero day for conception.100 pregnant rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=20 in each group): treatment group (included 3 groups: to give Microula seed oil 2.5 g /kg, 5.0 g /kg, 10.0 g /kg body weight, ig, respectively), cyclophosphamide group(7 mg/ kg body weight, sc) and the edible oil group (to give dose, such as volume as Microula seed oil, ig). From the 7th day of pregnancy, the treatment group, the edible oil group were given intervention once a day for 10 days. From the 11th day of pregnancy cyclophosphamide group was given cyclophosphamide as intervention once a day, for 3 days. On the 20th day the pregnant rats were killed.Results The body weight of pregnant rats and the rate of live births were significantly higher in the Microula seed oil dose group than in the cyclophosphamide group (P<0.01), stillbirth rate and birth rate of absorption was significantly lower in the Microula seed oil dose group than in the cyclophosphamide group (P<0.01), and no significant difference from the edible oil group (P> 0.05); the fetal rat, body weight, body length, tail length in all groups of Microula seed oil was no significant difference from the edible oil group (P> 0.05). There was no malformation in appearance, viscera, bones in the treatment group and the edible oil group while there were 112 fetal rats with deformity in 140 in the cyclophosphamide group.Conclusion Microula seed oil at doses of 2.5 g /kg, 5.0 g /kg, 10.0 g /kg body weight had no significant role in the toxicity and teratogenicity on embryos of pregnant rats.

Key words: Microula seed oil, embryo, toxicity, teratogenic effect