High plasma zinc levels following oral dosing in rats and the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into deoxyribonucleic acid in rat fetuses.
In fasted rats, a single oral dose of zinc, equivalent to the total daily zinc intake, caused plasma zinc levels to rise about five-fold 1.5 h after treatment. Higher values were obtained following higher dose levels. At maternal plasma zinc levels approximately 10-fold above normal, fetal viability was disturbed and incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA became impaired in fetal (20-d) rat brain and liver tissue.