title: Azadirachta indica treatment on the congenital malformations of fetuses from rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Azadirachta indica A. Juss, popularly known as neem, presents medicinal and insecticide properties. However, the repercussions of the neem maternal treatment on fetal development should be investigated. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluated the effects of Azadirachta indica (neem) on the frequency of congenital malformations in fetuses from rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant rats were randomly distributed into three experimental groups: NT=non-treated; TOil=treated with neem seed oil (1.2 mL/day); TAP=treated with active principle of Azadirachta indica (azadirachtin-1.0 mg/mL/day). The neem oil (1.2 mL/day) or azadirachtin (1.0 mg/mL/day) treatments were orally administered throughout pregnancy. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14 and 20 of pregnancy. Oral glucose test tolerance (OGTT) was performed at day 17 of pregnancy for estimation of total area under the curve (AUC). At term, the fetuses were collected and external and internal (visceral and skeletal) malformations were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data showed that the dams treated with neem seed oil and Azadirachtin had no significant change in glucose levels and AUC. It was also verified that neem oil treatment contributed to increase the frequency of malformation/variation, in particular the visceral in their fetuses, while neither significant result was observed in TAP group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, neem seed oil treatment administered during pregnancy caused abnormalities in rat fetuses, showing teratogenic effect but the Azadirachtin (active principle) presented no impairment in the fetuses.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Gynecology, Obstetrics and Mastology, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP_Univ. Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Experimental Research on Gynecology and Obstetrics, São Paulo State, Brazil. Electronic address: brunadallaqua@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dallaqua
authors.forename: Felipe Hiroshi
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Iracema Mattos Paranhos
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Calderon
authors.forename: Marilza Vieira Cunha
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Rudge
authors.forename: Gustavo Tadeu
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Volpato
authors.forename: Débora Cristina
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Damasceno
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D000853:Anophthalmos / Q000139:chemically induced; D031601:Azadirachta; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005989:Glycerides / Q000633:toxicity*; D036701:Limonins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013249:Sternum / Q000002:abnormalities; D013723:Teratogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D014132:Trachea / Q000002:abnormalities
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005989:Glycerides; D036701:Limonins; D013723:Teratogens; D013729:Terpenes; C002443:neem oil; C010329:azadirachtin
keywords: Anomaly; Azadirachta indica; Neem; Pregnancy; Rat