ArticleIn vivo (Athens, Greece)
Anti-asthma Drugs Formoterol and Budesonide (Symbicort) Induce Orofacial Clefts, Gastroschisis and Heart Septum Defects in an
Article in In vivo (Athens, Greece). The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Association Between Use of Inhaled Corticosteroids and Long-Acting Beta2-Agonists During Pregnancy and Adverse Fetal Outcomes.Respirology (Carlton, Vic.) · 2026Article
- Role of Maternal Infections and Inflammatory Responses on Craniofacial Development.Frontiers in oral health · 2021Review
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWe had a case in which three consecutive pregnancies resulted in birth of three children with an orofacial cleft. Their mother suffered from bronchial asthma and was treated using symbicort (corticosteroid budesonide plus bronchodilator formoterol) during her pregnancies. A hypothesis was assessed: these anti-asthmatics can induce an orofacial cleft in experimental model. MATERIALS AND
methodsA single administration of one of five increasing doses (including therapeutically used ones) of Symbicort, budesonide or formoterol was injected into the amnion of a chick embryo on day 4 or 5 of incubation. The teratogenic/lethal effects of the anti-asthmatics were assessed on a total of 600 embryos.
resultsFor budesonide, the teratogenic/lethal effect started at a dose 0.003 μg per embryo, for formoterol at 0.3 μg and for Symbicort 0.03 μg. Orofacial clefts and gastroschisis after exposure were found for all three anti-asthmatics. Heart septum defects occurred after exposure to formoterol.
conclusionThe present results support those clinical/epidemiological studies pointing out that anti-asthmatics have the potential to induce orofacial clefts, gastroschisis and heart malformations during prenatal development in human.
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