Evaluation of maternal behavior and offspring growth throughout the weaning process in maternal rats treated with aqueous leaf extract of Jatropha tanjorensis

Background: The lack of maternal behaviors represents a serious problem that endangers not only offspring survival but also offspring growth. Therefore, many mothers are seeking medication to improve maternal care and infant bonding. This study assessed maternal behavior and offspring growth throughout weaning process in dams treated with aqueous leaf extract of Jatropha tanjorensis (ALEJT).Methods: The rats were grouped into 2 (n=10); control received 20ml/kg of distilled water and Jatropha received 500mg/kg of ALEJT orally, and were treated throughout gestation and postnatal day (PND) 15-21. Non-pregnant rats were excluded from the study. Pup assessments: intrauterine growth indices (body length, tail length and birth weight), pup growth indices (alive at PND 1-7, 8-14, 15-21 and weaning weight) and reproductive index (live birth-, viability-, pre-weaning- and weaning- indexes). Maternal (pup retrieval, licking, crouching, resting with pup, nesting and sniffing pup) and non-maternal (resting alone, gnawing, self-grooming and feeding) behavior was observed every 2nd day from PND 2-15. At expiration of weaning dams were anesthetized with 60mgkg-1 of ketamine HCl and blood samples collected by cardiac puncture were used to assess serum levels of maternal hormones.Results: Litter size, live birth, live birth index and pups alive at PND 1-7 differed not significantly but pups body length, birth weight, weaning weight, weaning index (P<0.001), pups alive at PND 15-21, pre-weaning index (P<0.01), tail length, viability index and pups alive at PND 8-14 (P<0.05) increased significantly in Jatropha compared to control. Treated dams spent more time engaged in maternal behavior compared to control. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) differed not significantly, but prolactin (PRL), estrogen (P<0.05), progesterone (P<0.01), luteinizing hormone (LH), oxytocin and relaxin increased significantly in Jatropha compared to control. Conclusions: According This study has shown that ALEJT enhances neuroendocrine hormones release which facilitates maternal caregiving, pups survival and growth.