title: Effect of feeding milk from goats fed tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) to rats and calves.
abstract: Dried tansy ragwort, which contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA), was fed to lactating dairy goats. Milk containing 7.5 ng of PA/g (dry weight basis) from these goats was fed to rats and calves. Rats fed a goats' milk diet for 180 days with a calculated total PA intake of 0.96 mg/rat had swollen hepatocytes of centrilobular distribution, and biliary hyperplasia, indicating PA involvement. Rats fed tansy ragwort at dietary levels of 1%, 0.1%, 0.01% and 0.001% (corresponding to PA intakes of 39.77, 5.04, 0.52, and 0.05 mg/rat) showed swollen hepatocytes, megalocytosis, biliary hyperplasia, and fibrosis. The histopathologic changes in the milk-fed rats and those given 0.001% tansy ragwort in the diet were similar. Definitive changes in 2 calves fed goats' milk were not detected. The results with rats indicate that PA are transferred in goats' milk and may produce hepatoxic effects.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology; D012674:Senecio
chemical_list: D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids