[Teratogenic effect of ammonium metavanadate in Swiss albino mice]

Far as it is known to us, there is only one report in the medical literature dealing with the teratogenous effect of vanadium on neural structures (1): while trying to experimentally induce anencephaly in the offsprings of swiss-albino mice through the administration of ammonium metavanadate via drinking water, during different stages of their lives; a neural tube defect consisting of arrhinencephaly was obtained; various degrees of hypoplasia or aplasia of both the olfactory bulbs and tracts were evidenced, as well as congenital lesions of variable intensity in other rhinencephalic structures. The probable mechanisms through which vanadium exercises its neural teratogenous effect are analyzed.