ENHANCED PROTECTION OF FOLIC ACID AGAINST TERATOGENESIS BY COMBINED SUPPLEMENTATION WITH VITAMIN C, B_6 AND TAURINE / 营养学报

ABSTRACT

Objective:To study the effect of dietary supplementation of folic acid(FA),VC,VB 6 and taurine on teratogenesis of rats induced by cyclophosphamide. Methods:The teratogenesis was induced by cyclophosphamide. Dietary supplementation of FA, VC, VB 6 and taurine was used to depress teratogenesis in pregnant rats. Results:We found that cyclophosphamide administration resulted in decreased weight and length of the fetuses, increased rate of neural tube defects, and retarded ossification. Supplementation of the diet with FA alone or FA+VC+VB 6+taurine resulted in statistically greater fetal weight and length, decreased rate of neural tube defects, and increased ossification grade of supraoccipital bone. Conclusion:The mixture of FA+VC+VB 6+taurine is superior to FA alone in increasing fetal weight and length, reducing the incidence of neural tube defects, and ossification abnormalities of the supraoccipital bone.