The Effect of Aqueous Extract Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) on Physiological Sex Determination in Guppy

The safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) belongs to the Compositae family. This plant is widely used in food industries and medicine. The aim of this paper is studying the effect of Safflower extract on physiological sex determination and Masculinization in Guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata). 88 one-week-old Guppy fishes were divided into four groups (22 fishes in each group): A, B, C and control (without extract). The fishes were exposed to 50, 100 and 150 ppm concentrations of safflower extract for one month. After 3 months, gonads tissue sections of the fishes were prepared. Tissue changes were examined and compared with the control group that did not receive any extract. Results showed a significant difference in the number of primary spermatocytes in all groups; So the greatest increase of cells was in fishes that receiving concentrations of 100 and 150 ppm extract (p<0.05). The results also showed; with increasing concentration of safflower extract, the number of female follicles decreases significantly (p<0.05). Finally, the results of this study showed; safflower extract increases spermatogenesis and by creating tissue changes, it can induce the sex of guppy fish in the direction of masculinization.