Artesunate does not affect oocyte maturation and early embryo development of bovine.

Despite the cytotoxicity and embryotoxicity previously reported artesunate is a recommended drug to treat malaria for adults, children, and women in the first trimester of pregnancy. To address the putative effects of artesunate on female fertility and preimplantation embryo development, when the pregnancy is not detectable yet, artesunate was added to the oocyte maturation and embryo development of bovine. Briefly, in experiment 1 the cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured for 18 h with 0.5, 1, or 2 µg/mL of artesunate or not (negative control) and then checked for nuclear maturation and subsequent embryo development. In experiment 2, the COCs were matured and fertilized without artesunate, which was added (0.5, 1, or 2 µg/mL) from the 1st to the 7th day of embryo culture along with a negative and a positive control group with doxorubicin. As a result, the use of artesunate on oocyte maturation did not differ from the negative control ( > 0.05) regarding nuclear maturation, cleavage, and blastocyst formation. Also, artesunate on embryo culture did not differ from negative control ( > 0.05) regarding cleavage and blastocyst formation, except for positive control, with doxorubicin ( < 0.05). In conclusion, under the conditions investigated, there was no evidence of artesunate toxicity on oocyte competence and the preimplantation period of embryo development in the bovine model, however, artesunate use still should be taken carefully as the outcome of implantation after oocytes and blastocysts exposure to artesunate remains unknown.