Lethal Amounts of Casein, Casein Salts and Hydrolyzed Casein Given Orally to Albino Rats

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Abstract
The lethal dose of casein given as an aqueous suspension intragastrically to albino rats was estimated to be well over 1000 g/kg administered over a period of 2 weeks but could not be definitely established because deaths were due in part to distilled water in the suspension. The LD50 of the water-soluble sodium and calcium salts of casein was estimated to be some 400–500 g/kg given over a 5-day period, the intoxication being due mainly to salt effects. The LD50 ± SE of pancreatin-hydrolyzed casein was found to be 26.0 ± 1.6 g/kg, death occurred at 2 to 4 hours and was due to a violent gastroenteritis, blood and tissue dehydration, widespread capillary-venous congestion, coma and respiratory failure. Survivors of the latter group recovered clinically in 2 to 3 days but some changes in organ weights were significantly abnormal at 2 weeks and even at 1 month. The results indicate it is almost impossible to administer lethal amounts of casein orally to albino rats but that toxic effects can be produced by water-soluble salts of casein and particularly by the amino acids and polypeptides of hydrolyzed casein.

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