Reduced progesterone and altered cotyledonary prostaglandin values induced by locoweed (Astragalus lentiginosus) in sheep.
Feeding 300 or 400 g of dried spotted locoweed, Astragalus lentiginosus per day to 11 pregnant Columbia ewes from the 20th to the 50th days of their gestations resulted in dead and edematous fetuses. Aspartate aminotransferase values were increased, whereas serum progesterone values were significantly diminished (P less than 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner by locoweed ingestion. Cotyledonary 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG)F1 alpha (400 g/day only) and PGF2 alpha (300 and 400 g/day) values were significantly increased (P less than 0.05), whereas PGE values were not affected by the treatment. Alterations in PG values in these sheep may be a mechanism for altering corpus luteum function and inducing fetal death, which would ultimately result in abortion.
D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015237:Dinoprost; D005260:Female; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000378:metabolism; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014316:Tritium
D011453:Prostaglandins; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D011460:Prostaglandins F; D014316:Tritium; D011374:Progesterone; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; D015237:Dinoprost