American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 23, 782-791, Copyright © 1970 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Effect of Maternal Calcium Cyclamate Intake on Cellular Development in the Young Rat

¹ Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, California 95616

Pregnant and lactating rats were fed a diet containing 5% calcium cyclamate. The young produced were smaller than the young of animals not receiving cyclamate. The number of cells was reduced in liver, kidney, and heart in these animals, and cell size was decreased in the carcass.

Recovery of the young was complete at 21 days postnatally if no cyclamate was fed to the dams during lactation, but the condition persisted if cyclamate feeding was instituted or continued during the suckling period. The effect on the young during lactation was the result of a reduced milk supply consequent to the reduced food intake of the dam. The reduced food intake during pregnancy did not affect the young, except for a small reduction in numbers of liver cells and a reduction in liver weight. It may, however, have been an important causative factor in reducing the milk supply during lactation.

The maternal weight gain during pregnancy was reduced, and there was also a decrease in gain per gram of diet intake.