Toxicology of nivalenol in farm animals, and methods of its production and analysis
1996
Hedman, R. (SLU, Uppsala (Sweden). Inst. foer Husdjurens Utfodring och Vaard)
Nivalenol (NIV) is a mycotoxin that can often be found in cereals. This toxin is one of the trichothecenes that are produced by various strains of Fusarium fungi. At rarely occurring high levels, these toxins are lethal, as has been reported in field cases. Characteristic effects from feeding animals with low levels of trichothecenes are reduced feed consumption and vomition. This thesis describes the first feeding studies with purified NIV, and also a method of producing gram-quantities of NIV, and of quantifying ppb-levels of NIV and its metabolites. Chickens fed 6 ppm showed reduced feed consumtiton, feed conversion and weight gain. In catheterized pigs fed 2.5 ppm NIV, 11-43% of the dose was absorbed during 7.5 h. The systemic peak concentrations were 3-6 ng NIV/ml, mostly occurring 2.5-4.5 h after feeding. Sixteen hours after feeding, NIV was still being absorbed from the intestine, and the systemic concentrations were 1-3 ng NIV was mainly excreted in faeces, which contained concentrations up to 3.2 mg NIV/kg. Feed consumption was unaffected, and measured clinical plasma parameters were within normal ranges. Once ingested, the epoxide oxygen of NIV can be removed by gastrointestinal microorganisms, which practically eliminates the toxicity. No de-epoxy-NIV was formed in pigs fed NIV during three days, but after feeding with NIV for one weed or more, it was mainly excreted in faeces as de-epoxy-NIV. Also when incubating with cow rumen fluid, both NIV and DON were de-epoxidated. In chickens fed NIV for three weeks, no de-epoxy-NIV but another unidentified metabolite was excreted.
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