title: Gestational and lactational transfer of melamine following gavage administration of a single dose to rats.
abstract: Melamine contamination in an infant formula manufactured by a firm in China was reported in September 2008. Maternal transfer of melamine during pregnancy and through breast-feeding are possible ways of introduction. This study aims to evaluate the maternal transfer of melamine into amniotic fluid and breast milk through oral intake by pregnant and lactating rats, respectively. The quantity of melamine in the dam's sera, amniotic fluid, breast milk as well as in fetal whole body extract was measured. Our results showed that, after administration of single dose of 21.4 mg/kg per body weight of melamine to pregnant rats (16-18 days of gestation) by gavage, about 80% of melamine was found in dam's serum in 0.5 h. Melamine further reached the fetuses through placental transfer as it was found that peak melamine level of 7.15 ppm (∼30%) was detected in the fetuses after 2h and 4.36 ppm (∼20%) was shown in amniotic fluid after 3h of maternal intake. In the lactating rats, about 40% of maternal intake of melamine was transferred to breast milk and peaked at 3h. The results of this study confirmed the maternal transfer of melamine to fetuses in utero and infants through breast feeding.
authors: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors: Judy Yuet Wa
authors: JY
authors: Chan
authors: Chau Ming
authors: CM
authors: Lau
authors: Tai Lun
authors: TL
authors: Ting
authors: Thomas Chung Wai
authors: TC
authors: Mak
authors: Michael Ho Ming
authors: MH
authors: Chan
authors: Christopher Wai Kei
authors: CW
authors: Lam
authors: Chung Shun
authors: CS
authors: Ho
authors: Chi Chiu
authors: CC
authors: Wang
authors: Tai Fai
authors: TF
authors: Fok
authors: Kwok Pui
authors: KP
authors: Fung
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014227:Triazines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D014227:Triazines; C011907:melamine