Folic acid ameliorates prenatal alcohol induced bone malformations in mice fetuses

Abstract

Consumption of ethanol during pregnancy can result in different types of skeletal malformations by acting directly on the cells of the developing bone or by affecting the systemic factors required for bone development. Folic acid is one of the important water soluble B-vitamin which is required during pregnancy for proper development of fetus. Alcohol consumption has negative impact on maternal folic acid level. The objective of present study is to observe whether administration of folic acid along with alcohol reduces alcohol related bone malformations. The plug positive mice were randomly divided into four groups. Group I mice were termed as control, group II mice were given alcohol 6gm/kg body weight of mice, group III mice were administered alcohol 6gm/kg body weight and folic acid 60 mg/kg body weight of the mice while group IV mice were given only folic acid 60 mg/kg body weight. On GD 18 the pregnant mice were sacrificed and fetuses were collected. The fetuses were processed for alizarin red staining. Prenatal alcohol exposed fetuses showed different types of axial and appendicular bone malformations. When folic acid was given along with alcohol such malformations were greatly reduced showing protective effects of folic acid.