title: Hepatic ornithine decarboxylase induction by potato glycoalkaloids in rats.
abstract: The induction of hepatic ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in rat livers by the potato glycoalkaloids alpha-solanine, alpha-chaconine, and their aglycone solanidine, has been studied. Ip administration of alpha-solanine at 7.5, 15 and 30 mg/kg body weight produced markedly elevated enzyme activity at 4 hr after treatment, with a linear dose response. The increase was four-fold at the lowest dose administered to 12-fold at the highest. ODC activity was measured at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 24hr after alpha-solanine was given. A statistically significant increase in enzyme activity was evident at 3 hr after treatment; maximal activity occurred at 5 hr and was approximately 12 times greater than the dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) control level. Elevated activities persisted for several hours, decreasing to about one-third of the maximal level at 8 hr. The relative effects of alpha-solanine, alpha-chaconine and solanidine on ODC activities were studied at 4 hr using an equimolar dose of 17 mM/kg body weight. ODC activity induced by alpha-chaconine was higher than that induced by alpha-solanine; the latter activity was two-thirds that of the former. The aglycone solanidine did not induce any increase in activity compared with the DMSO control. ODC activity with dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid, at 4 mg/kg body weight, followed a pattern similar to that of alpha-solanine. However, maximal activity occurred slightly earlier at 4 hr after treatment. The results show that the extent of induced ODC activity depends on the structure of the potato alkaloid.
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Albany, CA 94710.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: O K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Grosjean
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Henika
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004144:Diosgenin; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012991:Solanaceous Alkaloids / Q000633:toxicity; D012992:Solanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000633:toxicity; D011198:Solanum tuberosum
chemical_list: D012991:Solanaceous Alkaloids; D012992:Solanine; C011860:alpha-chaconine; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D004144:Diosgenin; C013255:solanidine