Toxic effects of supplemental copper and roxarsone when fed alone or in combination to young pigs.
Three experiments were conducted to investigate the roxarsone (3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid) X copper (Cu) interaction in weanling pigs. Supplemental roxarsone at 400 mg/kg diet decreased rate and efficiency of weight gain and caused visible neurological signs of toxicosis. Copper addition (CuSO4 X 5H2O) at a level of 650 mg Cu/kg diet likewise decreased weight gain and feed efficiency, and it also increased hepatic Cu deposition. The combination of these growth-depressing dosages of roxarsone and Cu resulted in a far greater reduction in gain and efficiency of feed utilization than was the case when either compound was fed alone. A growth-promoting dosage of Cu (250 mg/kg) increased weight gain by 32% in one experiment but showed no efficacy in alleviating the growth-depression resulting from feeding 400 mg/kg roxarsone. A roxarsone dosage of 100 mg/kg increased gain and feed efficiency. Surprisingly, the decreased weight gain in pigs fed 650 mg/kg Cu was ameliorated by feeding 100 mg/kg roxarsone concomitantly. This level of roxarsone also reduced liver Cu concentration substantially. It thus appears that the nature of the roxarsone X Cu interaction is dependent on the dose of each compound administered. Moreover, low-dose roxarsone administration appears to ameliorate Cu toxicity, but low-dose Cu feeding does not show efficacy against roxarsone toxicity.
D000818:Animals; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D001646:Bile / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis; D012406:Roxarsone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development*
D003300:Copper; D012406:Roxarsone