title: Interplant alkaloid variation and Senecio vernalis toxicity in cattle.
abstract: Senecio vernalis and other plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are implicated in the poisoning of cattle. The liver is a known target organ. In this study the content of the alkaloids senecionine (SCO), senkirkin (SKK) and seneciphyllin (SCP) and their toxic effects in cattle were studied. The content of these 3 compounds only varied by a factor of 2 within 10 plant collections at different locations in western Denmark (Jutland). However, individual alkaloids varied 3-fold, and the interplant variation for some of the PA up to 8-fold. SCO and SKK had very short half lives, 20 min and 70 min respectively. In cattle fed dried plant material corresponding to 200 and 400 g of fresh material for 10 d alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and g-glutamyl transferase activities remained unchanged. Cattle subsequently fed fresh plant material up to 1 kg/d for 8 d also had no change in liver enzyme activities. Cattle did not show any clinical signs of poisoning, and no morphological liver changes were observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Pathobiology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Skaanild
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brimer
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000662:veterinary; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010947:Plants, Toxic / Q000737:chemistry*; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D012674:Senecio; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; C013678:seneciphylline; C009237:senecionine; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; C009238:senkirkine