ABSTRACT
Background: Recently, the use of homeopathy in veterinary medicine has grown significantly, mainly for farm animal practice, because of its usefulness in organic production and low cost. There is a wide range of veterinary products available in the marketoften used in females. However, the effect of these products in the litter and derived products for human consummation is completely unknown. Aims: this study sought to develop an experimental model to study the putative effects of high diluted substances in newborns after chronic exposure of females. Methods: based on previous studies, the chosen test substance was dexamethasone 15cH; adult female Balb/c mice were divided into 4 groups: a) treated with PBS (control); b) treated with dexamethasone 15 cH; c) treated with dexamethasone 15cH + dexamethasone 4 mg/kg and d) treated with dexamethasone 4 mg/kg. All medicines were administered subcutaneously, 3 times a week, in females from the first day of pregnancy up to the 20th day after parturition (end of lactation period). TDevelopment of the offspring was evaluated daily for 15 days after birth. Parameters evaluated were: female and offspring viability, number of newborns, time for eye opening, pinna opening, fur growth and postural reflex. Results: the group treated with dexamethasone 15cH showed 39% increase in mortality rate 39 days after the beginning of treatment and 35% increase in fetal mortality at the end of gestation (p=0.0049). Females treated with dexamethasone 4mg/kg + dexamethasone 15cH showed 100% of fetal mortality. After parturition newborn survival in animals exposed to dexamethasone 4 mg/kg was higher than the control (p=0.0002). All other parameters of neonatal development were unchanged among groups. Conclusions: these data point to adverse effect when using high diluted dexamethasone during gestation detectable by this experimental model in Balb/c mice.