title: Dietary pyrrolizidine (Senecio) alkaloids and tissue distribution of copper and vitamin A in broiler chickens.
abstract: The effect of feeding a diet containing 5% tansy ragwort (TR) (Senecio jacobaea), a poisonous plant containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA), on the blood and liver levels of copper, zinc, iron and vitamin A in broiler chicks was examined. Serum and liver copper and liver iron concentrations were increased in chicks fed a diet with 5% TR, while serum and liver zinc and vitamin A decreased. When PA were removed from the diet, partial restoration of normal serum vitamin A level occurred, indicating that the ability to mobilize liver vitamin A is not irreversibly inhibited by PA. The decline in serum vitamin A occurred by 8 days of TR feeding with a concurrent decline in growth rate. When chicks were fed a diet high in vitamin A (25,000 IU/kg), followed by a basal diet containing TR, serum vitamin A levels were significantly (P < 0.01) decreased, while liver vitamin A level increased. This indicates that mobilization of previously stored vitamin A from the liver is impaired by PA. Prior feeding of a high vitamin A level resulted in protective effects against PA toxicity, as assessed by histopathology. This study shows that a dietary source of PA modifies metabolism and tissue distribution of minerals and vitamin A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huan
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Cheeke
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Nakaue
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Whanger
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D012674:Senecio; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; D014801:Vitamin A; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc