We examined the cytotoxic effects of dillapiole, a phenylpropanoid with
antileishmanial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and acaricidal activities, on the blastocyst
stage of mouse embryos, subsequent embryonic attachment and outgrowth in vitro, and in vivo
implantation via embryo transfer. Blastocysts treated with 2.5–10 μM dillapiole exhibited
a significant increase in apoptosis and corresponding decrease in total cell number.
Notably, the implantation success rates of blastocysts pretreated with dillapiole were lower
than those of their control counterparts. Moreover, in vitro treatment with 2.5–10 μM
dillapiole was associated with increased resorption of post-implantation embryos and
decreased fetal weight. Our results collectively indicate that dillapiole induces apoptosis
and retards early post-implantation development, both in vitro and in vivo. However, the extent
to which this organic compound exerts teratogenic effects on early human development is
not known at present. Further studies are required to establish effective protection strategies
against the cytotoxic effects of dillapiole.