Transfer of 14C-seneciphylline into sheep milk following multiple oral intakes.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) contamination of animal products, may pose a threat to human health. Among ruminants, sheep appear to be more resistant to PAs poisoning and consequently comparatively higher concentrations of the PAs into their milk might be expected. To investigate the PAs transfer into sheep's milk following multiple intakes, three lactating sheep were submitted to the administration of 14C-seneciphylline in daily amounts of 32.4 mg, for a 5 days period. The appearance of radioactivity, derived from this compound was monitored in blood and milk and was calculated as seneciphylline, Alkaloid levels in blood during the first hour following the first dose administration, were 167 ng/ml and reached a maximum of 518 ng/ml at the 5th day of multiple treatment, before falling below the detection limit at the second day of the post treatment period. The Milk levels were respectively 62.3 ng/ml at the 3rd hour following the first dose administration, reaching a maximum of 987 ng/ml at the 5th day and falling below the detection limit at the fourth day of the postreatment period. The Seneciphylline levels in liver at the end of the 5 d multiple administration period averaged at 85 ng/g corresponding to 0.22% of the daily intake.