Somite necrosis and developmental malformations induced by vitamin A in the golden hamster

Development ◽  
1965 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Miguel Marin-Padilla ◽  
Vergil H. Ferm

The primary teratogenic effects of vitamin A in young embryos, when the vitamin is administered to their pregnant mothers are unknown. The morphogenesis of experimental cranioschisis and sacral rachischisis, commonly induced by vitamin A, is also still unknown. A variety of methods is now available for the induction of anencephaly (cranioschisis) and sacral spina bifida (sacral rachischisis) in some experimental animals. A method frequently used is the administration of a high dose of vitamin A to the pregnant mother. This has been employed in the rat (Cohlan, 1953; Giroud & Martinet, 1955) and in mice (Kalter & Warkany, 1961). In the present experiments, the golden hamster was used as the experimental animal. This study is divided into two parts. The first part consists in the establishment of a method for the induction of developmental malformations in the golden hamster by vitamin A.

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 428-430
Author(s):  
ELIZABETH DE LA CRUZ ◽  
SHYAN SUN ◽  
KAMTORN VANGVANICHYAKORN ◽  
FRANKIN DESPOSITO

Isotretinoin (Accutane), an oral synthetic vitamin A derivative, introduced in September 1982 by Roche Laboratories has been widely used in the treatment of recalcitrant cystic acne. Although there is extensive information regarding the teratogenic effects of excessive vitamin A in experimental animals,1 there are few data available on its possible effects in humans. We report a case of a preterm infant with microcephaly, microphthalmia, rudimentary pinnae, cardiac anomaly, and hepatocellular derangement born to a mother on isotretinoin therapy. This constellation of abnormalities mimicks the type of malformations seen in the animal models and is strongly suggestive of the teratogenicity of this drug to the human fetus.


2021 ◽  
pp. 2021075
Author(s):  
Dina Zamil ◽  
Emily Burns ◽  
Ariadna Perez-Sanchez ◽  
Milbrey Parke ◽  
Rajani Katta

Background: Dietary supplements are popular among US consumers and claim to address a variety of conditions, including acne. Acne supplements containing vitamin A are of particular interest, due to the potentially teratogenic effects of vitamin A doses over 10,000 IU. Objective: This study examined dosage, pregnancy risks, and labeling of vitamin A-containing acne supplements available online. Methods: An Internet search of acne supplements sold online was conducted between March and May 2020. Supplement labels and websites were analyzed for vitamin A content and pregnancy warnings, and then divided into categories based on dosage and teratogenic risk. Results: A total of 49 acne supplements was found, and of these 26 (53%) contain vitamin A. Three supplements are likely teratogenic, 4 contain vitamin A doses exceeding the daily level of intake that meets the nutritional needs of most people, and  15 have an unknown teratogenic risk. Among the 6 supplements with over 10,000 IU vitamin A, 2 have no pregnancy warning at all, including the supplement with the highest vitamin A dose found in this study. Conclusions: Dietary supplements are not subject to the same stringent regulations as drugs, and as such, consumers may be unaware of pregnancy risks. Furthermore, FDA requirements on labeling of vitamin A supplements may lead to consumer confusion regarding dosage. As such, we encourage stricter labeling requirements for vitamin A-containing supplements, including pregnancy warnings for high-dose supplements and clearer dosage labeling.


2019 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha E van Stuijvenberg ◽  
Muhammad A Dhansay ◽  
Jana Nel ◽  
Devika Suri ◽  
Michael Grahn ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background In some regions, multiple vitamin A (VA) interventions occur in the same target groups, which may lead to excessive stores. Retinol isotope dilution (RID) is a more sensitive technique than serum retinol to measure VA status. Objective We evaluated VA status before and after a high-dose supplement in preschool children living in a region in South Africa with habitual liver consumption and exposed to VA supplementation and fortification. Methods After baseline blood samples, subjects (46.7 ± 8.4 mo; n = 94) were administered 1.0 μmol [14,15]-13C2-retinyl acetate to estimate total liver retinol reserves by RID with a follow-up 14-d blood sample. Liver intake was assessed with a frequency questionnaire. In line with current practice, a routine 200,000 IU VA capsule was administered after the RID test. RID was repeated 1 mo later. Serum retinyl esters were evaluated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Results At baseline, 63.6% of these children had hypervitaminosis A defined as total liver retinol reserves ≥1.0 μmol/g liver, which increased to 71.6% after supplementation (1.13 ± 0.43 to 1.29 ± 0.46 μmol/g; P < 0.001). Total serum VA as retinyl esters was elevated in 4.8% and 6.1% of children before and after supplementation. The odds of having hypervitaminosis A at baseline were higher in children consuming liver ≥1/mo (ratio 3.70 [95% CI: 1.08, 12.6]) and in children receiving 2 (4.28 [1.03, 17.9]) or 3 (6.45 [0.64, 65.41]) supplements in the past 12 mo. Total body stores decreased after the supplement in children in the highest quartile at baseline compared with children with lower stores, who showed an increase (P = 0.007). Conclusions In children, such as this cohort in South Africa, with adequate VA intake through diet, and overlapping VA fortification and supplementation, preschool VA capsule distribution should be re-evaluated. This trial was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02915731 as NCT02915731.


Metabolism ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 514-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Sauvant ◽  
Nadia Mekki ◽  
Monique Charbonnier ◽  
Henri Portugal ◽  
Denis Lairon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

2007 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 422-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Ayah ◽  
D. L. Mwaniki ◽  
P. Magnussen ◽  
A. E. Tedstone ◽  
T. Marshall ◽  
...  

Postpartum vitamin A supplementation of mothers and infants is recommended, but the efficacy has been questioned. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Kenyan mother–infant pairs were randomised to maternal vitamin A (400 000 IU) or placebo < 24 h postpartum, and infant vitamin A (100 000 IU) or placebo at 14 weeks. Milk retinol was determined at weeks 4, 14 and 26, and maternal and infant serum retinol at weeks 14 and 26. Infant retinol stores were assessed at week 26, using a modified relative dose response (MRDR) test. Among 564 women, serum retinol at 36 weeks gestation was 0·81 (sd 0·21) μmol/l, and 33·3 % were < 0·7 μmol/l. Maternal serum retinol was not different between groups, but milk retinol was higher in the vitamin A group: (0·67 v. 0·60 μmol/l; 0·52 v. 0·44 μmol/l; 0·50 v. 0·44 μmol/l at 4, 14 and 26 weeks, respectively). When expressed per gram fat, milk retinol was higher in the vitamin A group only at 4 weeks. Infant serum retinol was not different between groups. However, although most infants had deficient vitamin A stores (MRDR>0·06 %) at 26 weeks, vitamin A to infants, but not mothers, resulted in a lower proportion of infants with deficient vitamin A stores (69 v. 78 %). High-dose postpartum vitamin A supplementation failed to increase serum retinol and infant stores, despite modest effects on milk retinol. Infant supplementation, however, increased stores. There is a need for a better understanding of factors affecting absorption and metabolism of vitamin A.


Development ◽  
1966 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-300
Author(s):  
A. Jurand

Since the first observations of hypoplastic and aplastic thalidomide deformities in infants (McBride, 1961; Lenz, 1962), the literature on this subject has grown to many hundreds of communications. Experimental investigations in almost all cases have been undertaken to show whether thalidomide and its metabolites have any teratogenic effects in experimental animals. Numerous review papers are available on this subject, e.g. Giroud, Tuchmann-Duplessis & Mercier-Parot (1962), Somers (1963), and Salzgeber & Wolff (1964). Chick embryos did not seem for some time to be suitable for experimental production of typical thalidomide deformities. However, Kemper (1962a, b), Yang, Yang & Liang (1962). Boylen, Home & Johnson (1963) and Leone (1963) have shown that thalidomide can produce a whole range of ectromelian deformities provided that it is introduced into the egg at a particular period of embryonic development.


1976 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 635-638
Author(s):  
William M. Miley ◽  
Bruce Shinn

24 adult male Swiss-Webster mice were randomly assigned to one of four equal experimental groups: a socially isolated group (8 days) which received a high dose of d-amphetamine prior to testing, a socially isolated group which received distilled water prior to testing, a social group of six (8 days) which received a high dose of d-amphetamine prior to testing, and a social group of six which received distilled water prior to testing. In the tests in which experimental animals were paired with stimulus animals which had their olfactory bulbs removed, inter-male aggression occurred even in the absence of aggressive retaliation by the stimulus animals. This suggests mutual arousal is sufficient to initiate and maintain biting attacks, aggressive retaliation is not necessary. Also, extremely high arousal in experimental mice induced by d-amphetamine and social isolation completely suppressed inter-male aggression whereas neither variable did so alone.


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