Effects of purwoceng (Pimpinella alpina) root extract administered during pregnancy on offspring growth and female reproductive development in rats

Aryani Sismin Satyaningtijas (Division of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Pudji Achmadi (Division of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Damiana Rita Ekastuti (Division of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Isdoni Bustamam (Division of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Koekoeh Santoso (Division of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Hera Maheshwari (Division of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Maulana Sydik (Undergraduate Study Program of Veterinary Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Muh Alwi Amnur (Undergraduate Study Program of Veterinary Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Wahyu Sri Wulandari (Undergraduate Study Program of Veterinary Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)
Ronald Tarigan (Division of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia)

ARSHI Veterinary Letters
Vol. 10 No. 2 (2026): ARSHI Veterinary Letters - May 2026

Purwoceng (Pimpinella alpina) is a medicinal plant with phytoestrogenic properties that may affect reproductive development. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of purwoceng root extract administered during pregnancy on offspring growth and sexual maturation in rats. The measured parameters were body weight gain in male and female offspring, age at vaginal opening, and estrous cycle length in female offspring. The results demonstrated that maternal administration of purwoceng extract increased body weight gain in offspring and accelerated the onset of puberty, as indicated by earlier vaginal opening, while no significant differences were observed in estrous cycle length. In conclusion, purwoceng root extract exhibits anabolic and estrogenic effects that promote growth and sexual maturation in offspring without disrupting the normal estrous cycle.