Emodin, a toxic metabolite of Aspergillus wentii isolated from weevil-damaged chestnuts.
A diarrheagenic toxin from culture extracts of Aspergillus wentii Wehmer isolated from weevil-damaged Chinese chestnuts was identified as emodin (2-methyl-4,5,7-trihydroxyanthraquinone). The orange-red, crystalline toxin (mp 255 to 257 C) showed ultraviolet absorption maxima in ethyl alcohol at 223, 250, 267, 290, and 442 nm, and infrared absorption maxima at 3,400 cm-1 (OH), 1,635, and 1,625 CM-1. Chemical shifts and coupling constants of the proton magnetic resonance spectra of the A. wentii toxin and of authentic emodin agreed. Mean lethal dose of emodin orally administered to 1-day-old DeKalb cockerels was 3.7 mg/kg.
D000818:Animals; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D002645:Chickens; D001517:Coleoptera; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000662:veterinary; D004642:Emodin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000633:toxicity; D005516:Food Microbiology; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D009754:Nuts; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
D000880:Anthraquinones; D004642:Emodin