OBJECTIVETo evaluate whether or not administration of folic acid and resveratrol have preventive effects on cleft palate formation as well as the comparison of the two drugs' s effects.

METHODSPregnant mice were randomly divided into 9 groups, with 8 mice in each group. The TCDD group mice were dosed with TCDD 28 microg/kg body weight on gestation day 10 (GD 10) animals in folic acid group were respectively dosed with folic acid 15, 10, 5 mg/kg and TCDD 28 microg/kg; resveratrol treated mice were divided into 3 groups: resveratrol 50 mg/kg were orally administered for 6 consecutive days, from gestational day GD 8 to GD13 in resveratrol (GD8-13 ) group; resveratrol 50 mg/kg were orally administered for 6 consecutive days, from gestational day GD 8 to GD13, followed hy an oral administered with TCDD on GD10 in resveratrol (GD8-13) + TCDD group; resveratrol 50mg/kg and TCDD 28 microg/kg were used by gavage administration at GD10 in resveratrol (GD10) + TCDD group. Control mice were treated with the same volume of water for 6 consecutive days from GD8 to GD13 and were given a single dose of corn oil on GD10. The pregnant mice weight and embryos, the number of live, cleft palate, dead and resorption fetal mice were recorded on GD 17.5. The coronal sections of the fetal mice heads were prepared at GD 17.5 and observed by microscopy.

RESULTSTotal frequency of clefts was 92.86% in TCDD group, 84.00% (15 mg), 73.08% (10 mg), 84.00% (5 mg) in folic acid + TCDD groups, 0% in resveratrol (GD10) group, 74.51% (GD10), 57.78% (GD8-13) in resveratrol + TCDD groups. The frequency of cleft was 0% in the control group. Compared with the control and the TCDD groups, there were significant differences in the number of live, dead and resorption fetal mice in TCCD + resveratrol (GD8-13) group (P < 0.05). No significant differences in embryonic weight, live fetuses weight, the number of live, dead and resorption fetal mice were found in the other groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTest dose of folic acid and resveratrol both had certain antagonistic effect on cleft palate in mice induced by TCDD, with folic acid 10 mg/kg, resveratrol 50 mg/kg GD8-13 doses having stronger antagonistic action. Effects of both the two drugs have no significant difference, but resveratrol (50 mg/kg, GD8-13) significantly affects the fetal mice's growth and development under TCDD exposure in utero.