Teratogenic Effects of Apatot (Morinda Citrifolia) Fruit Extracts on White Mice (Mus Musculus) Jamelah C. Magiguerid and Grace O. Singcala With increasing prevalent use and the potential use among pregnant women, this study on the Determination of Terato

With increasing prevalent use and the potential use among pregnant women, this study on the Determination of Teratogenic Effect of Apatot (Morinda citrifolia) Fruit Extracts in White Mice (Mus musculus) was carried out to evaluate the safety of apatot fruit in terms of its teratogenic effects on the offspring of white mice. Fresh ripe and unripe apatot fruits were extracted and were subjected into different concentrations (50% and 100%). These different concentrations were administered to separate dose groups of pregnant white mice, with a control group receiving only water and pellets as a replacement for the apatot extracts and were replicated three times. The dose schedule was followed from gestation (day 0) until one day prior to expected delivery, 21 days. Number of delivered offspring was recorded as well as the live and dead offspring. Administration of all different treatments (T2, T3, T4 and Ts) showed that there were no distinct differences as compared to the control group (T1) in terms of the number of delivered offspring. Although, there is 4.76% of abnormality in control and unripe group, statistical evidences had revealed that there are no significant differences between treatments. These results indicate that an effect of apatot fruit extracts is not as adverse as those of other teratogens which can cause severe abnormality to newly born offspring.