atractyloside and Chemical-and-Drug-Induced-Liver-Injury

The current study describes a naturally occurring cluster of cases of Wedelia glauca intoxication. Seven of 14 axis deer (Axis axis) and 1 of 8 llamas (Lama glama) in a zoo of Buenos Aires province, Argentina, died suddenly after ingestion of a new batch of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hay bales contaminated with the hepatotoxic plant W. glauca. Necropsies of 1 deer and 1 llama were performed. Pathological findings in both animals included severe diffuse acute centrilobular hepatocellular necrosis and hemorrhage, and clear yellowish translucent gelatinous edema on the wall of the gall bladder and the serosa of the choledochoduodenal junction. Fragments of W. glauca plants were identified in the hay based on the botanical characteristics of the leaves. Samples of gastric contents were examined by microhistological analysis, which identified epidermal fragments of W. glauca based on the presence of characteristic uniseriate glandular hairs (trichomes), confirming recent ingestion of W. glauca in both cases. The fragments were quantified and represented 5% of all examined vegetal fragments in the deer and 10% in the llama.

Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Atractyloside; Camelids, New World; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Deer; Food Packaging; Liver; Plant Poisoning; Plants, Toxic; Wedelia

The fruit of Xanthium strumarium L. (Cang-Er-Zi) is a traditional Chinese medicine that is used in curing nasal diseases and headache according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. However, clinical utilization of Xanthium strumarium is relatively limited because of its toxicity. The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the toxic effects on acute liver injury in mice of the two kaurene glycosides (atractyloside and carbxyatractyloside), which are main toxic constituents isolated from Fructus Xanthii on acute liver injury in mice. Histopathological examinations revealed that there were not obviously visible injury in lungs, heart, spleen, and the central nervous system in the mice by intraperitoneal injection of atractyloside (ATR, at the doses 50,125 and 200 mg/kg) and carbxyatractyloside (CATR, at the doses 50,100 and 150 mg/kg) for 5 days. However, it revealed extensive liver injuries compared with the normal group. In the determination of enzyme levels in serum, intraperitoneal injection of ATR and CATR resulted in significantly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), asparate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities compared to controls. In the hepatic oxidative stress level, antioxidant-related enzyme activity assays showed that ATR and CATR administration significantly increased hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, as well as decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities and glutathione (GSH) concentration, and this was in good agreement with the results of serum aminotransferase activity and histopathological examinations. Taken together, our results demonstrate that kaurene glycosides induce hepatotoxicity in mice by way of its induction of oxidative stress as lipid peroxidation in liver, which merited further studies. Therefore, these toxic constituents explain, at least in part, the hepatotoxicity of X. strumarium L. in traditional medicine.

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Alkaline Phosphatase; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Atractyloside; Catalase; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Diterpenes, Kaurane; Female; Fruit; Glutathione Transferase; Glycosides; Lipid Peroxidation; Liver; Male; Malondialdehyde; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Oxidative Stress; Superoxide Dismutase; Xanthium

Callilepis laureola, which has been found to cause fatal liver necrosis in the Black population of Natal, is widely used as a herbal medicine. Chemical extraction has yielded a product, identified as atractyloside, which is responsible for the nephrotoxic and hypoglycaemic effects of Callilepis laureola. The hepatotoxic principle has not yet been isolated.

Topics: Animals; Atractyloside; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute; Methanol; Necrosis; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Rats; South Africa

The toxicity of the "glue thistle" is well known in Algeria. 10 children were involved in a case of collective poisoning. Only two survived. Histo-pathological studies were made in four cases, the clinical and histological picture being that of a fulminating hepatitis with major hepatocellular necrosis.

Topics: Adolescent; Algeria; Atractyloside; Autopsy; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Child; Glycosides; Hepatic Encephalopathy; Humans; Liver; Liver Cirrhosis; Male; Plant Poisoning; Prognosis