Experimentally induced cleft palates and prophylactic studies in Swiss mice.

In order to examine its prophylactic effect, Actihaemyl, (Solcoseryl) was administered to pregnant Swiss mice at various intervals before and after i.p. treatment with 30 mg/kg b.w. Endoxan; the optimal time for administration of the latter was found to be the 11.5th day of pregnancy. A sifnificant reduction (P larger than or equal to 0.01) of the rate of experimentally induced cleft malformations, as well as other types of abnormalities of the head area, was demonstrated in comparison to the control groups. These results were even more pronounced when the mother animals were treated in the following manner: 1/10 LD50(19.7 ml/kg b.w.) of Actihaemyl 1 day, 10 and 5 min before Endoxan, followed by similar doses 5, 10 min and 2 days afterwards. Three prophylactic groups, from a total of 20, demonstrated a significant (p larger than or equal to 0.01) reduction in the cleft palate rate. Three additional groups showed reductions of more than 60% of exophthalmuses and over 25% of encephaloceles.