Bailey M M, Sturdivant J, Jernigan P L, Townsend M B, Bushman J, Ankareddi I, Rasco J F, Hood R D, Vincent J B
Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.
Birth Defects Res B Dev Reprod Toxicol. 2008 Feb;83(1):27-31. doi: 10.1002/bdrb.20140.
Chromium(III) is generally thought to be an essential trace element that allows for proper glucose metabolism. However, chromium(III) picolinate, Cr(pic)3, a popular dietary supplement form of chromium, has been shown to be capable of generating hydroxyl radicals and oxidative DNA damage in rats. The cation [Cr3O(O2CCH2CH3)(6(H2O)3]+, Cr3, has been studied as an alternative supplemental source of chromium. It has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and lower glycated hemoglobin levels in rats, making it attractive as a potential therapeutic treatment for gestational diabetes. To date, no studies have been published regarding the safety of Cr3 supplementation to a developing fetus.
From gestation days (GD) 6-17, mated CD-1 female mice were fed diets delivering either 25 mg Cr/kg/day as Cr(pic)(3), 3.3 or 26 mg Cr/kg/day as Cr3, or the diet only to determine if Cr3 could cause developmental toxicity. Dams were sacrificed on GD 17, and their litters were examined for adverse effects.
No signs of maternal toxicity were observed. No decrease in fetal weight or significantly increased incidence of skeletal defects was observed in the Cr3 or Cr(pic)3 exposed fetuses compared to the controls.
Maternal exposure to either Cr(pic)3 or Cr3 at the dosages employed did not appear to cause deleterious effects to the developing offspring in mice.
三价铬通常被认为是一种必需的微量元素，有助于正常的葡萄糖代谢。然而，吡啶甲酸铬（Cr(pic)3），一种常见的铬膳食补充剂形式，已被证明能够在大鼠体内产生羟基自由基并造成氧化性DNA损伤。阳离子[Cr3O(O2CCH2CH3)(6(H2O)3]+，即Cr3，已作为铬的替代补充来源进行了研究。研究表明，它能提高大鼠的胰岛素敏感性并降低糖化血红蛋白水平，使其成为妊娠期糖尿病潜在治疗方法的一个有吸引力的选择。迄今为止，尚未发表关于向发育中的胎儿补充Cr3安全性的研究。
从妊娠第6天至第17天，给交配后的CD-1雌性小鼠喂食含25毫克铬/千克/天的Cr(pic)3、3.3或26毫克铬/千克/天的Cr3的饲料，或仅喂食基础饲料，以确定Cr3是否会导致发育毒性。在妊娠第17天处死母鼠，并检查它们的窝仔有无不良反应。
未观察到母体毒性迹象。与对照组相比，暴露于Cr3或Cr(pic)3的胎儿体重没有下降，骨骼缺陷的发生率也没有显著增加。
在本研究使用的剂量下，母体接触Cr(pic)3或Cr3似乎不会对小鼠发育中的后代造成有害影响。
