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Leucrose—safety evaluation
1020
Informatic in Section
Slater T. F. and Sawyer B. C. (197la) The stimulatory effects of carbon tetrachloride on peroxidative reactions in rat liver fractions in vitro. Interaction sites in the endoplasmic reticulum. Biochemical Journal 123, 8 I5821. Slater T. F. and Sawyer B. C. (197lb) The stimulatory effects of carbon tetrachloride on peroxidative reactions in rat liver fractions in vitro. Inhibitory effects of free-radical scavengers and other agents. Biochemical Journal 123, 823-828.
Slater T. F. and Sawyer B. C. (1971~) The stimulatory effects of carbon tetrachloride and other halogenoalkanes on
ABSTRACTS Leucrosesafety
reactions in rat liver fractions
in vitro.
Biochemical Journal 123, 805-814.
Stampfer M. J., Hennekens C. H., Manson J. E., Colditz G. A., Rosner B. and Willett W. C. (1993) Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary disease in women. Neir England Journal of Medicine 328, 14441449.
Stich H. F., Rosin M. P. and Vallejera M.O. (1984) Reduction with vitamin A and beta carotene administration of the proportion of micronucleated buccal mucosal cells in Asian betel nut and tobacco chewers. Lancer I204- 1206.
FROM THE LITERATURE
evaluation
A safety assessment of leucrose (o-glucopyranosyla( l:5)-D-fructopyranose), a non-cariogenic sweetening agent produced by an enzymatic treatment of sucrose, has been published. The testing programme included l3-wk oral toxicity studies in rats and dogs, embryotoxicity studies in rats and rabbits, and a range of genotoxicity assays including an oral study in mice evaluating chromosome damage (Elias et al., Journal of the American College of Tosicology 1996, 15, 205).
Mineral oils-W-day
peroxidative
feeding studies in rats
The safety of food-grade mineral hydrocarbons came under scrutiny in the late 1980s when effects on the liver and lymph nodes were reported in rats fed diets containing certain naphthenic white oils. Results of additional 90-day feeding studies in rats using a range of highly refined, petroleum-derived food-grade hydrocarbons (white oils and waxes) “representative of those used for food applications” have now been published. The studies were conducted at BIBRA for a consortium of oil companies under CONCAWE (the Oil Companies’ Euronean Organization for Environmental and Health Protection), the-European Wax Federation, and the American Petroleum Institute. Seven white oils differing in crude oil type (naphthenic or parafhnic), refining method (acid treatment or hydrogenation) and viscosity (a function of molecular size and type), and three waxes (paraffinic-derived, hydrogenation- or percolation-refined with a range of molecular weights) were fed in the diet of rats at doses of around 2, 18, 180 or 1900 mg/kg body weight/day. Two additional waxes were admin- istered at the top three doses only. No treatment-related biology was seen with the higher molecular-sized hydro- carbons (microcrystalline waxes and the higher viscosity oils). Paraffin waxes and low- to mid-viscosity oils produced pathological changes, mainly in the liver and lymph nodes. The effects were inversely related to molecular weight, viscosity and melting point, but appeared to be independent of oil type and processing. (The mitral valve of the heart was also affected in rats on high doses of the paraffin waxes.) “Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism for the responses observed and the relevance of these inflam- matory responses in the F-344 rat to other species, including humans” (Smith er al., Toxicologic Pathology 1996, 24, 214).
Homocysteine and cardiovascular disease The association between plasma homocysteine and vitamins B,, Bu and folate (which are important in its metabolism) was studied in 130 Boston patients who had recently suffered their first heart attack and II8 population controls. Plasma homocysteine was higher in cases than controls and the risk of myocardial infarction was found to increase with
increasing plasma levels. Analysis of homo- cysteine metabolises in the plasma suggested the main cause of the elevated homocysteine levels in the cases was impairment of a folate- and B,,-dependent degradation pathway. The investigators considered that the data provide further evidence that “plasma homocysteine is an important independent risk factor for coronary disease” (Verhoef et al., American Journal of Epidemiology 1996, 143, 845).
Caffeine-induced fever Since childhood, a middle-aged woman had developed fever, chills and muscle pain on ingestion of tea, coffee or cola drinks. Oral challenges with a minimum of 60 mg caffeine (50 mg was ineffective) produced the same clinical symptoms, as did 100 mg theophylline (Daroca et al., Aiiergy 1996, 51, 189).
Effects of garlic on the liver A group from Kuwait University has reported liver damage in female rats fed high doses of an aqueous garlic extract daily for 4 wk. The extract was administered by gavage at 50 and 500 mg/kg body weight/day (the figures apparently refer to the equivalent amount of garlic). The doses were calculated to be approximately equivalent to the consumption of one and IO cloves of garlic/day by adult humans. Microscopic examination of the liver revealed cellular vacuolization and degeneration and intercellular blood cell aggregation at the high dose level, but no effects at the low dose. Administration of the same doses by intraperitoneal injection caused more severe effects on the liver (high dose only) and microscopic effects on the lungs (at both doses) (Alnaqeeb et al., Torico1og.r Letters 1996, 85, 157).
Asparagus-anticancer
activity
An extract of crude saponins from the edible shoots of asparagus inhibited the growth of human leukaemia cells in culture. The investigators called for further studies to elucidate the identity of the saponins and their inhibitory mechanisms (Shao er al., Cancer Lerters 1996, 104, 31).
Salt and osteoporosis A letter from a member of staff at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London noted that a moderate reduction in sodium intake may contribute substantially to the prevention of osteoporosis (Cappuccio, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1996, 63, 787).
Salt and blood pressure A group of Canadian medics has conducted a statistical overview (meta-analysis) of 56 randomized trials on the effects of restricting dietary salt on blood pressure. They concluded that although dietary sodium restriction for
Informatic in Section
Slater T. F. and Sawyer B. C. (197la) The stimulatory effects of carbon tetrachloride on peroxidative reactions in rat liver fractions in vitro. Interaction sites in the endoplasmic reticulum. Biochemical Journal 123, 8 I5821. Slater T. F. and Sawyer B. C. (197lb) The stimulatory effects of carbon tetrachloride on peroxidative reactions in rat liver fractions in vitro. Inhibitory effects of free-radical scavengers and other agents. Biochemical Journal 123, 823-828.
Slater T. F. and Sawyer B. C. (1971~) The stimulatory effects of carbon tetrachloride and other halogenoalkanes on
ABSTRACTS Leucrosesafety
reactions in rat liver fractions
in vitro.
Biochemical Journal 123, 805-814.
Stampfer M. J., Hennekens C. H., Manson J. E., Colditz G. A., Rosner B. and Willett W. C. (1993) Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary disease in women. Neir England Journal of Medicine 328, 14441449.
Stich H. F., Rosin M. P. and Vallejera M.O. (1984) Reduction with vitamin A and beta carotene administration of the proportion of micronucleated buccal mucosal cells in Asian betel nut and tobacco chewers. Lancer I204- 1206.
FROM THE LITERATURE
evaluation
A safety assessment of leucrose (o-glucopyranosyla( l:5)-D-fructopyranose), a non-cariogenic sweetening agent produced by an enzymatic treatment of sucrose, has been published. The testing programme included l3-wk oral toxicity studies in rats and dogs, embryotoxicity studies in rats and rabbits, and a range of genotoxicity assays including an oral study in mice evaluating chromosome damage (Elias et al., Journal of the American College of Tosicology 1996, 15, 205).
Mineral oils-W-day
peroxidative
feeding studies in rats
The safety of food-grade mineral hydrocarbons came under scrutiny in the late 1980s when effects on the liver and lymph nodes were reported in rats fed diets containing certain naphthenic white oils. Results of additional 90-day feeding studies in rats using a range of highly refined, petroleum-derived food-grade hydrocarbons (white oils and waxes) “representative of those used for food applications” have now been published. The studies were conducted at BIBRA for a consortium of oil companies under CONCAWE (the Oil Companies’ Euronean Organization for Environmental and Health Protection), the-European Wax Federation, and the American Petroleum Institute. Seven white oils differing in crude oil type (naphthenic or parafhnic), refining method (acid treatment or hydrogenation) and viscosity (a function of molecular size and type), and three waxes (paraffinic-derived, hydrogenation- or percolation-refined with a range of molecular weights) were fed in the diet of rats at doses of around 2, 18, 180 or 1900 mg/kg body weight/day. Two additional waxes were admin- istered at the top three doses only. No treatment-related biology was seen with the higher molecular-sized hydro- carbons (microcrystalline waxes and the higher viscosity oils). Paraffin waxes and low- to mid-viscosity oils produced pathological changes, mainly in the liver and lymph nodes. The effects were inversely related to molecular weight, viscosity and melting point, but appeared to be independent of oil type and processing. (The mitral valve of the heart was also affected in rats on high doses of the paraffin waxes.) “Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism for the responses observed and the relevance of these inflam- matory responses in the F-344 rat to other species, including humans” (Smith er al., Toxicologic Pathology 1996, 24, 214).
Homocysteine and cardiovascular disease The association between plasma homocysteine and vitamins B,, Bu and folate (which are important in its metabolism) was studied in 130 Boston patients who had recently suffered their first heart attack and II8 population controls. Plasma homocysteine was higher in cases than controls and the risk of myocardial infarction was found to increase with
increasing plasma levels. Analysis of homo- cysteine metabolises in the plasma suggested the main cause of the elevated homocysteine levels in the cases was impairment of a folate- and B,,-dependent degradation pathway. The investigators considered that the data provide further evidence that “plasma homocysteine is an important independent risk factor for coronary disease” (Verhoef et al., American Journal of Epidemiology 1996, 143, 845).
Caffeine-induced fever Since childhood, a middle-aged woman had developed fever, chills and muscle pain on ingestion of tea, coffee or cola drinks. Oral challenges with a minimum of 60 mg caffeine (50 mg was ineffective) produced the same clinical symptoms, as did 100 mg theophylline (Daroca et al., Aiiergy 1996, 51, 189).
Effects of garlic on the liver A group from Kuwait University has reported liver damage in female rats fed high doses of an aqueous garlic extract daily for 4 wk. The extract was administered by gavage at 50 and 500 mg/kg body weight/day (the figures apparently refer to the equivalent amount of garlic). The doses were calculated to be approximately equivalent to the consumption of one and IO cloves of garlic/day by adult humans. Microscopic examination of the liver revealed cellular vacuolization and degeneration and intercellular blood cell aggregation at the high dose level, but no effects at the low dose. Administration of the same doses by intraperitoneal injection caused more severe effects on the liver (high dose only) and microscopic effects on the lungs (at both doses) (Alnaqeeb et al., Torico1og.r Letters 1996, 85, 157).
Asparagus-anticancer
activity
An extract of crude saponins from the edible shoots of asparagus inhibited the growth of human leukaemia cells in culture. The investigators called for further studies to elucidate the identity of the saponins and their inhibitory mechanisms (Shao er al., Cancer Lerters 1996, 104, 31).
Salt and osteoporosis A letter from a member of staff at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London noted that a moderate reduction in sodium intake may contribute substantially to the prevention of osteoporosis (Cappuccio, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1996, 63, 787).
Salt and blood pressure A group of Canadian medics has conducted a statistical overview (meta-analysis) of 56 randomized trials on the effects of restricting dietary salt on blood pressure. They concluded that although dietary sodium restriction for