The Diastase Content of Human Milk and its Relation to the Arakawa Reaction

171st Report of the Peroxidase Reaction. (118th Human Milk Study.)

Abstract

Using my own diastase methods⁹⁾, I estimated diastase content of human milk and investigated its relation to Arakawa's reaction. As a rule, human milk with weaker Ara kawa's reaction is richer in diastase. As to the sig-nificance of the diastase in human milk, I presume that milk diastase may be a product or by-product necessary for milk production in the mammary gland and it is due to the disorder of the mammary gland caused by B-avitaminosis that Arakawa-negative milk contains a larger amount of diastase.
If I summarize the results of my experiment:-
1. Human milk shows a certain individual fluctuation in the diastase content. The mean value was 21.6.
2. The mean value of the diastase in the case ofstrong Arakawa's reaction was 14.8. The mean value of diastase content in that of weakly positive reaction was 22.4. The mean value of the diastase in that of completely negative reaction was 37.9.
3. The diastase value over 15.0 was seen in 32% (about one third) of milk samples with strong Arakawa's reaction, in 69% (about two thirds) of those of weakly positive reaction and in 84% (the large majority) of those of the completely Arakawa-negative milk.
4. Milk diastase was richer on the weaker side of Arakawa's reaction in the case of one and the same lactant with different Arakawa's reaction on different sides of the breast.
5. There was no large fluctuation of diastase content in the case of one and the same lactant with equal Arakawa's reaction on both breasts.
6. The mean diastase value which is obtained in the “Baby show ” was 14.1 for Arakawa-positive milk. 17.6 for Arakawa-negative milk and the average was 15.0.
7. Colostrum was abundant in diastase.
8. Milk diastase changes its value according to the age of sucklings. The diastase content, which is abundant in colostrum and in the milk of early lactations period, decreases gradually with the growing age of sucklings, but again it begins to increase when the time of weaning comes near.
9. The milk samples from younger mothers seemed to have richer diastase than older mothers.
10. Milk after feeding contains richer diastase than before.
11. Milk from the breast affected with mastitis contains generally richer diastase.
12. Milk which is abundant in fat content seemed to have richer diastase.
13. Milk in the cases of menses, pregnancy and of syphilis seems to have richer diastase.