title: Physiological responses of rats fed loline and ergot alkaloids from endophyte-infected tall fescue.
abstract: Sixty-three male sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to dietary treatments containing 1) N-formylloline alkaloid (NFL), 2) N-acetylloline alkaloid (NAL), 3) NFL + NAL, 4) NFL + a mixture of ergot alkaloids, 5) NAL + a mixture of ergot alkaloids, 6) NFL + NAL + a mixture of ergot alkaloids, 7) a mixture of ergot alkaloids, 8) endophyte-free tall fescue seed (EFTF), and 9) endophyte-infected tall fescue (EITF) seed (negative control). All diets were prepared by mixing the prepared treatments and Laboratory Chow (1:1 ratio) and were fed at a maximum of 15 g per rat per day. All rats were killed at termination (d 18). Rats fed the EITF consumed less (P < .05) than those fed all other treatments. Feed intake for rats fed the NFL + ergot alkaloids was lower than for those fed NAL, NAL + ergot alkaloids, NFL + NAL + ergot alkaloids, ergot alkaloids, and EFTF treatments. Average daily weight gains (ADG) followed a trend similar to feed intake with some exceptions. Rats fed the NFL + NAL treatments had higher (P < .05) ADG than those fed all other treatments except the NFL + NAL + ergot alkaloid treatment. Rats fed the EITF had lower (P < .05) ADG than those fed all other treatments except those fed ergot alkaloids and NAL + ergot alkaloids. Epididymides, testes, hypothalamus, corpus striatum weights, prolactin and alkaline phosphatase content were not altered by dietary treatments. Results suggest that loline alkaloids may have a slight depressing effect on feed intake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546-0215, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Varney
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Petroski
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Bush
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hemken
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Zavos
mesh_terms: D000164:Acremonium; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004876:Ergot Alkaloids / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D015651:Mycotoxicosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D009929:Organ Size; D006109:Poaceae / Q000382:microbiology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000633:toxicity*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D004876:Ergot Alkaloids; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; C059478:loline