Birth defects are multifactorial diseases caused by genetics and environmental factors or both; therefore, these defects can occur during any stage of pregnancy, especially in the first three months, which is essential for embryonic development. Chick embryos are one of the most beneficial models for human developmental studies. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a monosodium salt of glutamic acid, widely used as a flavor enhancer. Neural crest cells (NCCs) are a transient group of embryonic cells that play an essential role in embryogenesis. The present study aimed to investigate the treatment effect of folic acid (FA) on MSG-induced teratogenicity, focusing on the toxicity and teratogenic effects on somatic and neural crest cells in the chick embryo model.

The finding showed that the MSG at 2 mg/kg of egg weight induced retardation, tissue malformation, craniofacial and heart defects. In contrast, the FA alleviated those adverse effects and reduced the MSG-induced NCCs destruction in the eyes, heart, stomach, and nerves. In conclusion, although MSG harms embryos, FA effectively diminished its teratogenicity in the chick embryo model. Therefore, further research will be conducted at the molecular level to understand the mechanisms of the pathological mitigation of FA treatment.