Press Release CRIIGEN - May 2007
Effects of the herbicide Roundup on human embryonic cells
Professor Séralini’s group (1), in the University of Caen, France, just published a study on the previously unknown toxic effects of Roundup on human embryonic cells.
Roundup is the major herbicide in use worldwide, including on GMOs for food and
feed. The embryonic cells are from a line cultivated in the laboratory and their use does not necessitate embryo destruction. The group wanted to confirm and detail the understanding of the effects already observed on placental cells, as published by Séralini’s group in 2005.
Following comparison, it appears that embryonic cells are far more sensitive. The
deleterious results of Roundup are noticed at very week doses (the product sold in stores is diluted up to 10,000 times). Sensitivity is confirmed in particular for the disruption of sexual hormones at non toxic levels, especially on fresh placental extracts. The maximal active dilutions correspond to less than the residues in discussion to be authorized in GMO feed in the United States.
It is evidenced that the herbicide Roundup, as sold on the market, is far more toxic than the product which is known and approved to be its active ingredient: glyphosate. The gaps in European legislation to study the effects of mixtures and hormonal disruptions are underlined.
This work may be of help in better understating the problems of miscarriages, premature births or sexual malformations of babies, in particular in agricultural workers families.
The paper published on line first (1) on the website of the journal « Archives of
Environmental Contamination and Toxicology » directed by Dr. Doerge from the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) in USA, will appear in the July 2007 issue.
This work is funded by the Human Earth Foundation, the Denis Guichard Foundation, the
CRIIGEN and the Regional Council of Basse-Normandie.
Contact : Pr Gilles-Eric Séralini, Biochemistry, Institute of Biology, University of Caen, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen, France. Telephone: 33(0)2-31-56-56-84. Fax: 33(0)2-31-56-53-20. Corinne Lepage President of CRIIGEN. E-mail: criigen@unicaen.fr
(1) Time and Dose-Dependent Effects of Roundup on Human Embryonic and Placental Cells
by Nora Benachour, Herbert Sipahutar, Safa Moslemi, Céline Gasnier, Carine Travert, Gilles-Eric Séralini.
(http://www.springerlink.com/content/d13171q7k863l446/fulltext.html
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