title: Ovine metabolism of diosgenin coated on cellulose in relation to hepatogenous photosensitization of ruminants.
abstract: Diosgenin (2.25 g) was coated onto cellulose and dosed daily to a lamb for 12 d by intraruminal intubation. Upon completion of dosing, samples of gut contents and internal organs were subjected to chemical analysis and histological examination. No clinical signs, changes in serum chemistry, or microscopic organ changes were observed. GC-MS analyses showed that in the rumen diosgenin was metabolised to free and, to a lesser extent, conjugated derivatives of tigogenin, smilagenin and epismilagenin. Reduction of diosgenin to smilagenin and tigogenin, and epimerization of smilagenin to epismilagenin, appeared to continue in the duodenum, ileum and jejunum. Deconjugation and the epimerization of smilagenin to epismilagenin appeared to continue in the cecum and colon. Epismilagenin was the dominant conjugated sapogenin constituent identified in a bile sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, The University of Waikato, Private 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alistair L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.forename: Lucy P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Meagher
authors.forename: Barry L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Christopher O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Miles
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002482:Cellulose; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D004144:Diosgenin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*; D008897:Panicum / Q000506:poisoning; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism*; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose; D004144:Diosgenin