Abstract
Theobromine (TB) is a significant pharmacological ingredient for chocolate (C). 10 nursing mothers (ages 25 to 32) who were nursing 1-24 mos were studied. Other methylxanthines were avoided. Each mother ate 1 C bar (1.2 ozs) containing 60 mg TB and 5 mg caffeine (Caf). Simultaneous saliva and milk samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 12 and 15 hrs. Urine was collected on the infants for 3-6 hrs after maternal dosing. Samples were assayed for TB and Caf using HPLC with mobile phase 0.01 M Na acetate pH 4.0-acetronitrile (93:10) using theophylline as the internal standard. TB appeared in both milk and saliva by 1 hr and peaked in all but 1 pt by 3 hrs. Paired samples showed higher amounts of TB in milk in all but two pts. Saliva/milk ratios ranged from 0.7-1.3 during first 4 hours. Elimination phase t½ ranged from 4.9-31.5 (x = 14.7±8.16) hrs for milk and 3.8-33.0 (x = 9.80±8.65) hrs for saliva. There was not agreement between milk and saliva values for 6/10 patients. Assuming each infant would ingest 90 ml milk every 3 hrs for 24 hrs after maternal ingestion of C, the amount of TB available for ingestion ranged from 0.44−1.68 (x = 1.06±0.47) mg or 0.73−2.80 (x = 1.77±0.79) % of maternal dose. In urine of nursing infants, levels of TB were below 0.6 μg/ml; no Caf was detected. There were no untoward symptoms in the infants. Usual intakes of chocolate does not appear to present significant doses of either TB nor Caf to the nursing infant.
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Berlin, C., Daniel, C. 313 EXCRETION OF THEOBROMINE IN HUMAN MILK AND SALIVA. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 492 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00324
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00324