[Effect of zinc L-lysine and taurine against teratogenesis caused by hyperthermia].

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of zinc L-lysine and taurine against teratogenesis caused by hyperthermia in pregnant mice.

METHODS

Eighty seven female Swiss mice with the gestational age of 8 days were exposed to 42.5 approximately 43.0 degrees C waterbath for 9 minutes. Six hours later the same procedure was repeated for 8 minutes. On the 9th gestational day zinc L-lysine (200 mg/kg) was perfused orally into 30 pregnant mice, and taurine (300 mg/kg) was perfused orally into 27 pregnant mice. The other 30 mice were used as controls. On the 18th gestational day, the pregnant mice were all killed. The teratogenic rate, embryo rate, and absorbed embryo rate, body weight, body length, and tail length of each mouse were examined.

RESULTS

The teratogenic rates in zinc L-lysine group and taurine group were 1.1% and 1.2% respectively, both significantly lower than that in the control group (5.4%, P < 0.01). The dead embryo rates in the zinc L-lysine group and taurine group were 1.0% and 1.5% respectively, both significantly lower than that in the control group (3.5%, P < 0.01). The absorbed embryo rates in the zinc L-lysine group and taurine group were both 5.6%, significantly lower than that in the control group (14.3%, P < 0.01). The mean weight of the first two groups was 1 370 mg +/- 180 mg and 1 380 mg +/- 190 mg respectively, significantly greater than that in the control group (1 280 mg +/- 240 mg, P < 0.01). The mean body length in the first two groups was 28.1 mm +/- 1.9 mm and 28.0 mm +/- 2.1 mm respectively, significantly greater than that in the control group (26.7 mm +/- 2.2 mm, P < 0.01). The mean tail length in the first two groups was 12.2 mm +/- 1.3 mm and 12.2 mm +/- 1.9 mm respectively, significantly greater than that in the control group (11.6 mm +/- 1.5 mm, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Zinc L-lysine and taurine have a significant effect against teratogenesis caused by hyperthermia and promote the embryo growth.