According to a recent study, expectant mothers' exposure to high levels of a chemical, called triclosan which is used in toothpastes and soaps, may bring damage to their babies' brains。
    In the study, tests on sheep showed triclosan interferes with an enzyme that allows the hormone oestrogen to circulate in the womb. Oestrogen helps to keep open the artery carrying oxygen-rich blood to the foetus. If there is too little, this artery narrows, starving baby's brain of the oxygen it needs to develop properly。
    Triclosan is a powerful anti-bacterial that was developed nearly 50 years ago. It is now commonly used in everything from toothpastes to washing-up liquid。
    In the UK, the chemical's maximum content allowed in any product is 0.3 percent, and drug giant GlaxoSmithKline has phased out the use of triclosan in its products. But it is still used in brands such as Colgate Total。
    But a spokesman for the Cosmetics, Toiletry and Perfumery Association said the study in sheep did not prove the same effects would be seen in humans。
    英國(guó)《每日郵報(bào)》11月30日?qǐng)?bào)道，最新一項(xiàng)研究稱，孕婦接觸富含三氯苯氧氯酚的物質(zhì)(三氯苯氧氯酚常用于制造牙膏以及肥皂)，將會(huì)對(duì)其腹中胎兒的大腦造成損傷。
    該項(xiàng)研究中，通過(guò)對(duì)綿羊的測(cè)試發(fā)現(xiàn)，三氯苯氧氯酚會(huì)干擾某種可讓雌激素在子宮內(nèi)散播的酶發(fā)生作用。雌激素可使動(dòng)脈血管擴(kuò)張，含氧量高的血液得以流向胎兒。如果雌激素太少，動(dòng)脈收縮，胎兒大腦會(huì)因供氧量不足而發(fā)育不全。
    據(jù)了解，三氯苯氧氯酚是有效的除菌劑，早在50年前被人們開發(fā)出來(lái)。如今被廣泛用于牙膏、洗液等日化用品。
    目前在英國(guó)，三氯苯氧氯酚在產(chǎn)品中的含量不得超過(guò)0.3%，知名藥品生產(chǎn)商葛蘭素史克已經(jīng)不再使用三氯苯氧氯酚，而另外一些品牌(比如高露潔)仍用其生產(chǎn)旗下產(chǎn)品。
    但據(jù)化妝品香氛聯(lián)合會(huì)的一位發(fā)言人稱，該項(xiàng)以綿羊?yàn)閷?shí)驗(yàn)對(duì)象的研究并不能證明這些研究結(jié)果在人類身上同樣有效。