title: Clinical and analytical studies of sheep dosed with various preparations of Astragalus lusitanicus.
abstract: Dosing different preparations and extracts of Astragalus lusitanicus to lambs showed the fresh plant or its dry powder were highly toxic while the ethyl acetate or methanol extract did not cause toxicosis, suggesting the toxic principle is an extremely water soluble compound. The animals alternated excitement and depression, with cardiac and respiratory disorders terminally. Alpha-mannosidase inhibition was not detected in blood of dosed lambs, but an inhibitory activity was in tissues from lambs given the fresh plant or its powder. There was increased aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase activity, suggesting skeletal muscle and neurological effects. Thin-layer chromatography and the alpha-mannosidase inhibition assay did not detect swainsonine in ethyl acetate, methanol or water: methanol plant extracts.
authors.affiliation: Departement de Pharmacie, Toxicologie et Biochimie, Institut Agronomique et Veterinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Abdennebi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: el Ouazzani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lamnaouer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000662:veterinary; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008361:Mannosidases / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*; D010947:Plants, Toxic / Q000633:toxicity*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology; D017026:Swainsonine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D008361:Mannosidases; D017026:Swainsonine