title: Reduction of procarbazine-induced cleft palates by prenatal folic acid supplementation in rats.
abstract: We investigated the effects of prenatal folic acid supplementation on procarbazine (PCZ)-induced intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR), cleft palates, and microgenia. Three groups of gravid rats were treated with 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) PCZ on day 13.5 of gestation (GD13.5). Two groups of them were additionally supplemented with 1 and 2.5 mg/kg folic acid, respectively, from GD13.5 through GD16.5. On GD19.5, all fetuses were delivered by caesarian sections and sexed subsequently. Numbers of live and dead fetuses as well as resorptions were counted. Data on fetal BW, crown-rump length, tail length, placental weight, and diameter were collected. Fetal heads were histologically scrutinized for the occurrence of cleft palates and microgenia. Folic acid at 2.5 mg/kg diminished PCZ-induced IUGR. In male fetuses, both folic acid doses significantly reduced the incidence of cleft palates and microgenia, while in females, only the high folic acid dose was capable of lowering the occurrence frequency of cleft palates. We conclude that folic acid supplementation at the used doses confers a substantial protection against PCZ-induced IUGR and incidence of cleft palates and microgenia. However, these effects are gender-related and dose-dependent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Fathi A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Malek
authors.forename: Klaus-Uwe
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Möritz
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fanghänel
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bienengräber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006397:Hematinics; D011344:Procarbazine; D005492:Folic Acid