Plant secondary metabolites as mammalian feeding deterrents: separating the effects of the taste of salicin from its post-ingestive consequences in the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula).
The effect of the phenolic glycoside, salicin, on food intake of the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) was studied in a series of feeding experiments. Increasing the concentration of salicin in a diet of fruits and cereals led to significant reductions of food intake in the short term (6 days). After prolonged (20 days) exposure to salicin, food intake (19 g kg(-0.75) day(-1)) was still reduced relative to controls (31 g kg(-0.75) day(-1)) but not reduced to the same extent as in the short-term experiments. Nonetheless, over these 20 days, common brushtail possums regulated their intake of salicin so as not to exceed a threshold limit of 1.9 +/- 0.1 g kg(-0.75) day(-1). Manipulative experiments sought to determine whether this threshold intake was in response to pre-ingestive factors (taste) or the post-ingestive consequences of ingesting salicin. Dietary salicin (0.17-5.0% DM) had no significant effect on nitrogen balance or urea metabolism and injection of a specific serotonin receptor antagonist, ondansetron, did not lead to increases in salicin intake as has been found for some other plant secondary metabolites. Similarly, administration of 1.3 g salicin by gavage had no significant effect on the subsequent intake of salicin compared to controls that were gavaged with water. We concluded that pre-ingestive factors were responsible for common brushtail possums limiting their intake of salicin-rich diets rather than any measurable post-ingestive consequence of feeding.
Pass
G J
GJ
Department of Zoology and Tropical Ecology, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Foley
W J
WJ
D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005052:Eucalyptus; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D005960:Glucosides; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000494:pharmacology; D009893:Opossums / Q000502:physiology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D005960:Glucosides; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; C005696:salicin; D017294:Ondansetron; D014508:Urea; D009584:Nitrogen