PANTOTHENIC-ACID DECREASES VALPROIC ACID-INDUCED NEURAL-TUBE DEFECTS IN MICE .1.

The effect of the administration of pantothenic acid (PTA) on valproic acid (VPA)-induced teratogenesis was examined in ICR mice. VPA (300, 400, and 500 mg/kg, s.c.) or PTA (3 x 10, 3 x 100, and 3 x 300 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected on day 8.5 of gestation (plug day = day 0.5). Exenc ephaly was induced dose dependently by single injections of VPA. Th re e administrations of PTA atone at any dose levels showed neither embry ocidal nor teratogenic effects. In combined treatment experiments, PTA (3 x 300 mg/kg) was injected 1 hr before, immediately before, and 1 h r after VPA administration. PTA significantly reduced VPA-induced exen cephaly, while none of the other external malformations such as open e yelid or skeletal malformations such as fused, absent, or bifurcated r ibs and fused thoracic vertebrae and fused sternebrae were reduced. Th e results suggest that PTA reduces the incidence of neural tube defect induced by VPA in mice. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.