citrinin and Body-Weight

Monascus is one of the traditional fermentation fungi and has been used in many kinds of food for thousands of years. Although Monascus-fermented red mold rice performs cholesterol-lowering effects, blood pressure-lowing effects, and antioxidant effects, another metabolite, nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic citrinin, causes the concerns for safety. Various citrinin concentrations (1, 2, 10, 20, and 200 ppm) in the red mold rice are, respectively, estimated for safe use in animal tests. According to the results of serum biochemistry assays of liver and kidney in each group, citrinin did not reveal any nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. Furthermore, the results of histopathological slices of liver and kidney in each group did not show any significant differences from control histopathological findings. As a result, we presume that citrinin concentrations in Monascus-fermented products within 200 ppm will not affect the functions of liver and kidney or cause any nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. According to safety factor, it is proposed that 2 ppm citrinin in Monascus-fermented products may be a safe concentration.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Body Weight; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Citrinin; Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Eating; Fermentation; Humans; Kidney; Liver; Male; Monascus; Organ Size; Oryza; Plant Extracts; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Toxicity Tests, Chronic

Monascus purpureus MTCC 410-fermented rice (red mould rice) is one of the food supplements to lower blood-lipid levels and monacolins have been proven to be the main active constituents in red mould rice (RMR). In this study, we have assessed the safety of RMR by conducting toxicological studies in albino rats. Acute and sub-chronic toxicity studies were conducted on both sexes of albino rats. Feeding acute doses of RMR at 0.5, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg body weight to rats did not cause any symptoms of toxicity or mortality. Similarly, dietary feeding of RMR at 2.0%, 4.0%, 8.0% and 12.0% level (w/w) for 14 weeks did not produce any significant changes in food intake or gain in body weight of the experimental rats compared to control rats. There were no significant differences in the relative weight of vital organs, hematological parameters, macroscopic and microscopic changes in vital organs and serum clinical enzyme levels between the experimental and control groups. Moreover, the rats fed with RMR showed a significant reduction in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in both serum and liver. The results showed that toxicity studies with RMR of M. purpureus did not cause any toxic effects in albino rats.

Topics: Animals; Body Weight; Cholesterol; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Citrinin; Diet; Eating; Enzymes; Female; Fermentation; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Lovastatin; Male; Monascus; Organ Size; Oryza; Rats; Triglycerides; Weight Gain

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi. When one mycotoxin is detected, one should suspect that others also are present in a contaminated feed ingredient or finished feeds. The toxicity and clinical signs of observed in animals when more than one mycotoxin is present in feed are complex and diverse. Some mycotoxins, such as the combination of aflatoxin with either ochratoxin A or T-2 toxin, interact to produce synergistic toxicity in broiler chicks. The effects observed during multiple mycotoxin exposure can differ greatly from the effects observed in animals exposed to a single mycotoxin. For example, fatty livers in poultry are used for presumptive diagnostic identification of aflatoxicosis. However, simultaneous presence of ochratoxin A prevents fatty livers. Of the mycotoxin combinations that have been investigated in poultry and swine, the aflatoxin + ochratoxin A and aflatoxin + T-2 toxin interactions appear to be the most toxic.

Topics: Aflatoxins; Animals; Body Weight; Chickens; Citrinin; Drug Interactions; Mycotoxins; Ochratoxins; Swine; T-2 Toxin; Trichothecenes

Previous studies in this laboratory revealed an effect of chromate to potentiate the nephrotoxic effects of mercuric ion. Citrinin, an organic anion, is a known nephrotoxin. The present study was undertaken to assess the possible interaction of chromate and citrinin on renal function. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were housed in metabolism cages and injected with citrinin (35 mg/kg), chromate (10 mg/kg) or the combination. The combination of nephrotoxicants caused an increased excretion of urine greater than the sum of the individual responses. A similar response was observed with urinary glucose concentrations and glucose excretion without changes in blood glucose levels. These data indicate that chromate can potentiate the nephrotoxic action of citrinin in the rat.

Topics: Animals; Benzopyrans; Blood Glucose; Body Weight; Chromates; Citrinin; Drug Combinations; Drug Synergism; Glucose; Kidney; Male; Potassium Dichromate; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains

Citrinin, a fungal metabolite produced by several species of Penicillium and Aspergillus, has been found to contaminate foods used by animals and man. Citrinin is nephrotoxic and has been implicated in disease outbreaks in animals and humans. In this study the teratogenicity, embryotoxicity, and fetotoxicity of citrinin was determined in Sprague-Dawley rats after subcutaneous administration of a single dose of 35 mg/kg on gestation day 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15. Dams so treated lost weight for 2 days following administration. Subsequently, weight gain for treated animals was similar to that for controls. Relatively high maternal mortalities also were associated with this pretreatment regimen. Treatment with 35 mg/kg on certain days of gestation resulted in deaths of one half or more of the pregnant dams. No significant effects of citrinin were observed on the number of implants. Resorption of implants, however, was higher in treated animals than controls when dams were treated on days 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 or 12 of gestation. Fetuses from dams given citrinin were significantly smaller than those from controls by about 22% on average. No major gross or skeletal malformations were found in fetuses born to mothers which received citrinin. Major internal soft tissue malformations seen were enlarged kidneys, internal hydrocephalus and cleft palate.

Topics: Animals; Benzopyrans; Body Weight; Citrinin; Embryo, Mammalian; Female; Fetus; Gestational Age; Pregnancy; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Teratogens

Male broiler chicks, from day-old to 3 weeks of age, were fed diets containing 0, 100, 220, 330, and 440 ppm citrinin produced by Penicillium lanosum grown on whole corn. Body weight decreased (P less than .05) when chicks were fed the diets containing 330 and 440 ppm citrinin. Average body weight of chicks fed the diet containing 220 ppm citrinin was 8% less than that of chicks fed no toxin. Feed utilization decreased (P less than .05) with chicks fed the diet containing 440 ppm citrinin. Analysis of thigh muscle, kidney, liver, and blood for citrinin revealed detectable amounts in the liver and blood of chicks fed 440 ppm.

Topics: Animals; Benzopyrans; Body Weight; Chickens; Citrinin; Growth

Topics: Animals; Benzopyrans; Body Weight; Calcium; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Chickens; Citrinin; Kidney Tubules; Lethal Dose 50; Lymphatic System; Male; Mycotoxins; Time Factors

Topics: Animals; Benzopyrans; Body Weight; Cecum; Citrinin; Guinea Pigs; Kidney Tubules, Proximal; Lethal Dose 50; Mice; Mycotoxins; Necrosis; Rabbits; Rats; Swine

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Benzopyrans; Body Weight; Citrinin; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Ethanol; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Injections, Subcutaneous; Kidney; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR

Citrinin fed to mature laying hens at levels of 0, 50, and 250 mug/g. of diet for three weeks had no effect on body weight, feed consumption, egg production, egg weight or egg shell quality. A moderate diarrhea occurring about three days after feeding 250 mug. citrinin/g. of diet was observed. However, the diarrhea subsided once the birds were returned to a normal diet. Young broiler chicks were fed a diet containing either 0, 62.5, 125, 250, or 500 mug. citrinin/g. of diet from hatching to three weeks of age. Body weight was decreased by the 500 mug/g. level whereas all levels of citrinin resulted in enlarged kidneys and an improvement in feed conversion when compared to control values. There was also a slight dose-related increase in liver size. The 250 and 500 mug./g. levels resulted in a dose-related increase in water consumption accompanied by an acute diarrhea. Dietary citrinin had no effect on serum protein, glucose, cholesterol, uric acid, calcium, potassium and sodium concentrations or packed cell volume.

Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Benzopyrans; Body Weight; Chickens; Citrinin; Diarrhea; Eggs; Female; Male; Oviposition; Poultry Diseases

Histological studies were made on the nephrotoxic effect of citrinin on the kidneys of rats, with or without previous treatment with the nephrotoxic chemicals, N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide (NDPS) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN). Oral administration of 0.02% or 0.05% citrinin alone caused signs of kidney injury but did not induce kidney tumors. On treatment with DMN alone, 8 of 14 rats (57.1%) developed kidney tumors; two (14.3%) were renal cell tumors, eight (57.1%) embryonal cell tumors, and one (7.1%) hemangioendothelioma. On the other hand, kidney tumors developed in 18 of 19 rats (94.7%) and 13 of 15 rats (86.7%) by the administration of 0.02% and 0.05% citrinin, respectively, after DMN. The tumors in these two groups were diagnosed histologically as renal cell tumors in 18 (94.7%) in group IV and 13 (86.7%) in group III, and as embryonal cell tumors in 14 (73.7%) in group IV and 9 (60.0%) in group III. Thus, in groups treated with citrinin after DMN the incidence of renal cell tumors was much greater and the incidence of embryonal cell tumors slightly greater than in the group treated with DMN alone. Kidney tumors developed in 4 of 18 rats (22.2%) treated with 0.02% citrinin after NDPS, but treatment with NDPS alone did not induce kidney tumors. Thus, treatment with citrinin changes the histological type and incidence of kidney tumors in rats induced by DMN. Moreover, this study confirms that citrinin in combination with NDPS can induce kidney tumor in rats, which was renal cell tumor (adenoma) histologically.

Topics: Animals; Benzopyrans; Body Weight; Chlorobenzenes; Citrinin; Dimethylnitrosamine; Kidney; Kidney Neoplasms; Male; Mycotoxins; Neoplasms, Experimental; Nitrosamines; Organ Size; Rats; Succinimides

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Benzopyrans; Blood Proteins; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Body Weight; Citrinin; Diet; Dogs; Hematocrit; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase; Kidney; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Leukocyte Count; Male; Mycotoxins; Penicillium