sapogenins and Plant-Poisoning

Geeldikkop was induced in a sheep by oral administration of crude saponins from Tribulus terrestris. Centrifugation of the bile from this sheep gave a pale green sediment of crystalloid material which was insoluble in common organic solvents, but soluble in acetic acid. Analysis of the crystalloid material by 1H and 13C NMR, EDXA, TLC, LSIMS, and by acidic hydrolysis followed by TLC and GC-MS, revealed it to be composed principally of a 6:1 mixture of the calcium salts of the beta-D-glucuronides of the steroidal sapogenins epismilagenin and episarsasapogenin. The administered saponin was found to contain glycosides of the steroidal sapogenins diosgenin, yamogenin, epismilagenin, tigogenin, neotigogenin, gitogenin and neogitogenin in the ratio 10:7:1:11:7:35:25. A metabolic pathway for the conversion of diosgenin and yamogenin saponins to the biliary glucuronides is proposed.

Topics: Animals; Bile; Biliary Tract Diseases; Crystallization; Diosgenin; Photosensitivity Disorders; Plant Poisoning; Sapogenins; Sheep; Sheep Diseases

Spectroscopic examinations of purified extracts of the rumen content of sheep intoxicated by Brachiaria decumbens revealed the presence of a mixture of sapogenins, identified as 3-spirostanols. These isomeric steroid sapogenins (C27H44O3) are believed the toxic principles in causing toxicity in sheep after feeding on B. decumbens.

Topics: Animals; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Molecular Structure; Plant Extracts; Plant Poisoning; Poaceae; Rumen; Sapogenins; Sheep; Sheep Diseases

Topics: Animals; Bile; Crystallization; Glucuronates; Molecular Structure; Panicum; Plant Poisoning; Sapogenins; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Spirostans

Topics: Animals; Bile; Biliary Tract Diseases; Crystallization; Disease Outbreaks; Liver Diseases; Mass Spectrometry; Photosensitivity Disorders; Plant Poisoning; Poaceae; Sapogenins; Sheep; Sheep Diseases

The toxic triterpene acids lantadene A and lantadene B were isolated from Lantana camara and conjugated to bovine serum albumen or haemocyanin. The conjugates were emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant and injected into sheep and cattle. Vaccinated animals produced antibodies against the toxic compounds. Cholestasis was less severe in vaccinated than in non-vaccinated sheep challenged with a toxic dose of lantana. The results indicated a mild protective effect of vaccination against the hepatotoxic effects of lantana toxins.

Topics: Animals; Antibodies; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Oleanolic Acid; Plant Poisoning; Sapogenins; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Triterpenes; Vaccination

Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Bile; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Mass Spectrometry; Photosensitivity Disorders; Plant Poisoning; Sapogenins; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Spirostans; Tissue Distribution

Clinical observations on four male cow calves and three other lantana poisoned animals under field conditions have been made along with hematological studies, including observations on plasma bilirubin content and osmotic fragility of erythrocytes. Four healthy male cow calves served as control. Five clinically advanced cases succumbed within 1 to 10 days of observation. Hematocrit values in four of the seven affected animals were abnormally high. The total plasma bilirubin content in the fatal cases was of the order of 5 to 50 times the normal value while, in calves that recovered, it was not more than 3 times. The osmotic fragility of erythrocytes was measured by the rate of hemolysis in decreasing concentrations of saline. The erythrocytes of normal animals resisted hemolysis till the saline concentration was lowered to 0.60%, and it was complete at the low saline concentration of 0.30%. However, in lantana poisoned animals, hemolysis started even in 0.72% saline and was complete at a saline concentration of 0.44%. The hemolysis curves of animals that died were far removed from the normal, but those of the calves that recovered and the one that died but had the lowest bilirubin content closely approached the normal curve.

Topics: Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Erythrocyte Membrane; Erythrocytes; Female; Hemolysis; Male; Oleanolic Acid; Osmotic Fragility; Plant Poisoning; Plants, Toxic; Sapogenins