Zearalenone-¹³C₁₈is intended for use as an internal standard for the quantification of zearalenone by GC- or LC-MS. Zearalenone is a mycotoxin that has been found inFusariumand has estrogenic activities.¹It binds to human estrogen receptor α (ERα) and ERβ (IC₅₀s = 9 and 5.8 nM, respectively).²Zearalenone induces precocious development of mammary tissues in young female pigs and prepucial enlargement in young male pigs.³Zearalenone (1.5-5 mg/kg of diet) induces hyperestrogenism in pigs. It also induces degeneration of meiotic chromatin in oocytes and reduces fertility in pigs when administered at a dose of 200 µg/kg.⁴Zearalenone has been found as a contaminant in wheat, maize, and barley and livestock feeds.^3,4

1.Zinedine, A., Soriano, J.M., MoltÓ, J.C., et al.Review on the toxicity, occurrence, metabolism, detoxification, regulations and intake of zearalenone: An oestrogenic mycotoxinFood Chem. Toxicol.45(1)1-18(2007) 2.Kuiper, G.G.J.M., Lemmen, J.G., Carlsson, B., et al.Interaction of estrogenic chemicals and phytoestrogens with estrogen receptor βEndocrinology139(10)4252-4263(1998) 3.Richard, J.L.Some major mycotoxins and their mycotoxicoses—an overviewInt. J. Food Microbiol.119(1-2)3-10(2007) 4.Tiemann, U., and DÄnicke, S.In vivo and in vitro effects of the mycotoxins zearalenone and deoxynivalenol on different non-reproductive and reproductive organs in female pigs: A reviewFood Addit. Contam.24(3)306-314(2007)