GROWTH-PROMOTING POTENTIAL AND TOXICITY OF SPERMIDINE, A POLYAMINE AND BIOGENIC-AMINE FOUND IN FOODS AND FEEDSTUFFS

Experiments were conducted to determine the relative growth-promoting potential and toxicity of dietary spermidine, a biogenic amine and pol yamine. Week-old chicks were fed purified diets containing 0.0, 0.2, 0 .4, 0.6, 0.8, or 1.0% supplemental spermidine for 2 weeks. As little a s 0.4% supplemental spermidine depressed growth and hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity, while hepatic concentrations of putrescine, sp ermidine, and N-1-acetylspermidine increased. In a second experiment, 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.60% supplemental spermidine were fed. Lo w levels of supplemental spermidine tended to increase relative weight s of the duodenum and pancreas. The temporal response to 0.00, 0.05, a nd 0.60% supplemental spermidine was determined in a third experiment when measurements were taken following 1, 2, 4, and 8 days of feeding. Chicks fed diets containing 0.05% supplemental spermidine had increas ed growth after only 1 day of feeding. Enlargement of the duodenum and pancreas was subsequently seen, although these changes became less ob vious with time. It was concluded that the toxicity of polyamines incr eases with molecular weight and charge and, although some growth promo tion is possible, the biogenic amine content of suspect feedstuffs sho uld be determined before feeding with caution.