[Maillard reaction. 10. Effects of premelanoidins on reproduction in rats]

The early soluble premelanoidins are obtained by a wet heat treatment (1 hour at 90 degrees C) of isomolecular quantities of glycine and glucose. It is know that these products decrease the nitrogen digestibility and the biological value of the diet. These premelanoidins are used as a well-balanced ration for the female rats at the rate of 2.15 g of degraded nitrogen by kg of diet. They disturb the reproduction phenomena: -- the fertility of the female is of 56 p. 100 instead of 76 p. 100 in the control females; -- the still-born youngs are twice more numerous and the intrauterine resorptions five time more numerous with the premelanoidin diet than with the control diet; -- the living youngs of experimental litters are 30 p. 100 less important than control litters. Yet, they have an lower weight at the birth and also at the end of the lactation phase. The damages induced by early premelanoidins can be imputed to an antinutritional character. of these substances, or -- more accurately -- to a nitrogen inefficacy that they could provoke. The premelanoidins have not a significant effet on the liver weight, but hypertrophy the kidneys and principally the caecum. The premelanoidin metabolism seems difficult and is similar to the lactose one.