Donkey milk research · Study 178

Building blocks of genetic material in donkey milk: six nucleosides and nucleotides

A research group at the University of Camerino detected 6 compounds in donkey milk by RP-HPLC: the nucleosides cytidine, uridine, guanosine and adenosine, and the nucleotides CMP and UMP. According to the authors, this was the first time they had been determined in donkey milk. The abstract gives no quantities.

Important: A milk analysis only. It shows which substances can be detected in donkey milk, not what they do in the body. Donkey milk is not a substitute for breast milk or infant formula; infant feeding belongs in medical hands.

At a glance · swipe or use the arrows

The key figures

6compounds detected

4nucleosides: cytidine, uridine, guanosine, adenosine

2nucleotides: CMP and UMP

RP-HPLCreversed-phase liquid chromatography as the method

first timeaccording to the authors, the first detection of these substances in donkey milk

Quantitiesconcentrations are not given in the abstract

6authors, University of Camerino

2014year of publication, Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids

Study design

How it was studied

Milk analysis by a research group at the School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino (Italy). Donkey milk was analysed for nucleosides and nucleotides using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Evaluated based on the abstract: it does not give sample numbers, breed, stage of lactation, concentrations or a comparison with other milks.

Laboratory study

Study typeMilk analysisCountryItalyYear2014JournalNucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids

Results

What the study measured

The nucleosides cytidine, uridine, guanosine and adenosine were detected in donkey milk.

The nucleotides CMP (cytidine monophosphate) and UMP (uridine monophosphate) were also found.

According to the authors, this is the first detection of these 6 compounds in donkey milk using an RP-HPLC method.

The abstract contains no concentrations, variation between samples or comparison values for other milks.

Authors’ conclusion: The authors point to the importance of nucleotides for metabolism, especially in newborns, and consider donkey milk a suitable substitute for children with severe IgE-mediated cow’s milk protein allergy because of its similarity to human milk. This assessment is not based on the data measured here: the study detects substances; it does not test feeding or tolerance. Donkey milk is not a substitute for breast milk or infant formula; infant feeding belongs in medical hands.

Critical appraisal

Strengths and limitations

Detection without quantitiesClear limitation

The abstract gives no concentrations. Whether the substances occur in meaningful amounts remains open.

Assessment goes beyond the dataClear limitation

The statements on cow’s milk allergy and infant feeding come from the introduction, not from the measurements.

Only the abstract assessedNote

Sample numbers, breed and stage of lactation of the animals were not available.

No comparison with other milksNote

The abstract does not show how the values compare with human or cow’s milk.

Established methodStrength

RP-HPLC is a common method for determining individual nucleosides and nucleotides separately.

clear limitationnotestrength

Editorial note: The paper adds to knowledge of which substances occur in donkey milk. Without quantities, the finding is mainly a qualitative detection. No statements on allergy or infant feeding can be derived from it. To the research archive.

Research question for DON DONKEY’S®

Can nucleotides such as CMP and UMP be detected in comparable amounts in our frozen donkey milk and in powder from the same batch?

Milk analysisNucleotidesComposition

Original publication

Profile of nucleosides and nucleotides in donkey's milk.

Original title: Profile of nucleosides and nucleotides in donkey's milk.

Vincenzetti S., Pucciarelli S., Nucci C., Polzonetti V., Cammertoni N., Polidori P.
Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids · 2014 · 33(10), 656–667

School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Italy (according to the paper)

DOI: 10.1080/15257770.2014.914219

Transparency: funding and conflicts of interest could not be checked from the abstract. No product-related statement for DON DONKEY’S®.

Summarised and checked by the DON DONKEY’S editorial team against the original publication · As of: November 2026

End of the study summary

Note on our products

The study summarised above was carried out independently of DON DONKEY’S® and does not relate to our products. It serves solely to inform about the state of research.

DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk and donkey milk powder are foods. They are not intended to prevent, treat or cure any disease and do not replace medical advice.

From our shop

DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk

100 % donkey milk · raw milk, frozen

On this page we report the findings of a published study. Independently of that, you will find our donkey milk here: 100 % donkey milk, frozen as raw milk.

Transparency: The study examined milk from another herd – not the milk from our partner farms.

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100 ml bottle / 100ml · Unit price: €249,00 / 1 l · incl. VAT, plus shipping

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Also in our shop

Donkey Milk Powder

Donkey milk in powder form

For anyone who prefers a longer shelf life: our donkey milk in powder form – easy to store and portion.

Transparency: The study did not examine our donkey milk powder.