Objectives: There is limited evidence about the impact of quercetin and naringenin on embryonic development. The purpose of this work was to evaluate in vitro their direct teratogenic potential as well as their protective activity against teratogenesis mediated by oxidative damage on mouse embryos.
Methods: Quercetin and naringenin toxicity on whole mouse cultured embryos, as well as their ability to protect embryos against hydroxyurea-induced insult were evaluated.
Key findings: Quercetin 100 microm and naringenin 300 microm produced significant reduction of developmental and growth parameters, in comparison with those of the control group. Embryos exposed to the concurrent administration of quercetin or naringenin with hydroxyurea (2 microm, 2 h) were significantly protected from growth and developmental retardation, and abnormalities induced by hydroxyurea. Interestingly, embryos exposed to hydroxyurea and dimethyl sulfoxide 0.1%, the vehicle employed to dissolve flavonoids, also showed significant damage amelioration.
Conclusions: These results indicate that quercetin and naringenin have not only a minor toxic effect on development, but also a protective effect against hydroxyurea-induced embryonic damage.