The maternal combined supplementation of folic acid and Vitamin B12 suppresses ethanol-induced developmental toxicity in mouse fetuses

Maternal ethanol consumption during pregnancy can induce developmental defects in the fetus. The objective of this study was to assess whether combined supplementation of folic acid (FA) and Vitamin B12 (VB12) in dams would suppress ethanol-induced developmental toxicity in CD-1 mice. Ethanol (5.0 g/kg) was given intragastrically from gestational day (GD) 6 to GD15. Vitamin supplementation groups were additionally given 60.0 mg/kg FA, 1.0 mg/kg VB12, or 60.0 mg/kg FA + 1.0 mg/kg VB12 during GD1-16. The control group received distilled water only. Results of litter evaluation on GD18 showed that combined supplementation of FA and VB12 ameliorated many of the adverse effects of ethanol. In contrast, the single vitamin supplementation groups showed little or no amelioration. These results suggest that combined supplementation of FA and VB12 was more effective than each vitamin toward suppressing ethanol-induced developmental toxicity in CD-1 mice.