Polyamines in human and cow’s milk

Putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, and spermine have been detected as regular minor constituents of human and cow’s milk. These polyamines have been identified in form of their dansyl derivatives by combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The spermine and spermidine content varies with the methionine intake. At the 6th week of lactation, the spermidine and spermine concentration of human milk are 5 and 20 times, respectively, that of cow’s milk. There is a strict correlation between the DNA, RNA, and the spermine, spermidine concentration in both human and cow’s milk during early lactation.