1Department of Anatomy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
2Natural and Medicinal Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
3Department of Anatomy Jahrom Medical School, Jahrom, Iran.
4Gastroenterohepatology Research Center Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
To evaluate the effects of soybean hydro-alchoholic extraction on growth and ossification indices, fifty female mice were randomly selected and caged with males overnight. The day when vaginal plug was observed was considered as zero day of gestation. Pregnant mice were fed 3, 30, 150 and 300 mg/kg of soybean extract and water as the control to 10 mice each from 5th to 16th day of gestation. Then they were sacrified on 17th day and fixed. Fetus weight, its crown-rump length (CRL) and the biparietal diameter (BPD) were measured. The ossification index (OI) was determined. The OI differed from control with the highest soybean extract group only. It is concluded that overuse of phytoestrogen rich feeds such as soybean should not be recommended during pregnancy.
Soybean, embryo, phytoestrogen, growth, osteogenic indices
