title: Multivitamin solutions for enteral supplementation: a source of peroxides.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether solutions of enteral vitamin supplementation are involved in the generation of peroxides and whether that contamination is biologically significant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peroxide contents of oral multivitamin preparations were measured over 3 wk after the initial opening of the containers. In selected premature infants (younger than 35 wk gestation), urinary peroxides were measured after initiating oral multivitamin supplementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peroxides in multivitamin solutions for enteral use are predominantly organic peroxides because they resist catalase. After the initial opening of the containers, there was a two-fold increase in total peroxides levels (P < 0.05) even in the preparation without riboflavin, a catalyst for the generation of peroxides. Initiation of oral vitamin supplementation was associated with increased (P < 0.05) urine peroxide levels. The high organic peroxide load did not correlate with its urinary excretion, mostly in the form of H(2)O(2). The excretion of H(2)O(2) corresponded to its oral intake from the multivitamin solution.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with parenteral multivitamin solutions, the enteral preparations contained higher organic peroxide levels starting with the initial opening of the bottles. The increased urinary excretion of H(2)O(2) after enteral multivitamin supplementation suggested a systemic diffusion of peroxides or of components of the multivitamin preparation responsible for the generation of peroxides. This oxidant load was not quenched by the immature antioxidant defenses of premature infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Research Center of Hospital Ste-Justine, University of Montreal, 3175 Chemin Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laborie
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lavoie
authors.forename: Thérèse
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rouleau
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chessex
mesh_terms: D004340:Drug Contamination; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D007700:Kinetics; D016877:Oxidants / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010545:Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016877:Oxidants; D010545:Peroxides; D014815:Vitamins; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide