Metabolic and Reproductive Parameters in Young Female Rats Subjected to Feed Restriction and/or Ginger Oil Administration

It is well known that the medicinal plant ginger (Zingiber officinale) has anti-oxidative properties that shield tissues and organs against oxidative damage.

Forty-eight, 9-week-old Sprague Dawley female rats (159±13 g) were used to evaluate the effects of feed restriction and/or ginger oil supplementation on growth, reproductive parameters, and blood metabolites.

Animals were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups (12 rats/treatment) in 2 × 2 factorial arrangements: ad libitum feed (CON), 25% feed restriction (G2), ad libitum feeding with 0.2 mL/rat ginger oil (G3), and 25% feed restriction plus 0.2 mL/rat ginger oil (G4). Animals in groups G2 and G4 received 75% of their pre-treatment feed intake (25% restriction). Six rats from each group were sacrificed at the end of treatments for blood and tissue collection, while the remaining rats were mated with mature males.

No ginger-by-feed restriction interactions were detected in any of the tested parameters. Body size and BW increased as the experiment advanced (P < 0.01). However, G2 had the lowest BW towards the end of the treatment. Glucose was greater (P < 0.05) in feed-restricted animals, while urea nitrogen was greater in animals on ad libitum feeding. Combined ovarian weights and reproductive tract weights were greater in ginger-supplemented than non-supplemented animals. Similarly, rats on ad libitum feeding had greater ovarian weights than those on restricted feeding.

Ginger oil supplementation appears to have favorable effects on reproductive tract development and ovarian weight regardless of feed restriction.