Abstract
Juniperus sabina essential oil was evaluated for its fetotoxic potential on mice. Pregnant dams were
injected s.c. (15-45 or 135 mg essential oil/kg body weight) on days 6 to 15 of gestation. They
were killed and the uterine contents were examined on day 19 of pregnancy. The fetuses
were removed for examination. The dams of the two higher treated groups showed a significant
weight loss as compared to controls. An hepatotoxicity was observed among females
that resorbed their whole litter, thus indicating a greater susceptibilitiy towards
Juniperus sabina essential oil during pregnancy. The essential oil induced, in the three treated groups,
an embryotoxicity as manifested by a statistically significant increase in the number
of affected litters; but no fetotoxicity.
