The High Concentration of Biopterin In Breast Milk and It's Absorption During the Neonatal Period

Abstract

Breast milk has been found to contain high levels of biopterin compounds, whose physiological roles have attracted attention through newly discovered functions, particularly. as a cofactor for biosynthesis of nitric oxide. the biopterin level in serum and the volume of urinary excreted biopterin in neonatals. 1) The concentration of total biopterin in breast milk increased daily to a maximum value from the 7- 11 th day postpartum. then decreased to as low as one third of the peak value. 2) The daily ingestion of biopterin also increased. After a peak during the 7-9 th days. it then reduced to a constant level after 1 month. 3) The serum biopterin level on the 4 th day after birth showed a relatively constant value and had no correlation with the ingested amount of biopterin on the 3rd day. 4) No correlation existed between the level of urinary biopterin excreted and the ingested amount of breast milk. We concluded that orally ingested, concentrated biopterin may have no influence no the serum level of biopterin and urinary excreted biopterin .