Content of zygacine in Zygadenus venenosus at different stages of growth

Majak, W.; McDiarmid, Ruth; Cristofoli, Walter A.; Sun, Fei; Benn, M. H.

doi:10.1016/0031-9422(92)83697-w

Cited by 31 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Clinical signs of poisoning are similar for all animal species studied (Panter et al, 2007). Zygacine ( Figure 1) is often the most abundant alkaloid in death camas and is consequently believed to be the primary toxic component (Gilbertson, 1973;Majak et al, 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The acute toxicity of the death camas (Zigadenus species) alkaloid zygacine in mice, including the effect of methyllycaconitine coadministration on zygacine toxicity1

Welch

Panter

Gardner

et al. 2011

Journal of Animal Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Death camas (Zigadenus spp.) is a common poisonous plant on foothill rangelands in western North America. The steroidal alkaloid zygacine is believed to be the primary toxic component in death camas. Poisonings on rangelands generally occur in the spring when death camas is abundant, whereas other more desirable forage species are limited in availability.In most cases where livestock are poisoned by plants in a range setting, there is more than one potential poisonous plant in that area. One common poisonous plant that is often found growing simultaneously in the same area as death camas is low larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum). Consequently, the objectives of this study were to conduct acute toxicity studies in mice and to determine if coadministration of low larkspur will exacerbate the toxicity of death camas. We first characterized the acute toxicity of zygacine in mice. The LD 50 of zygacine administered intravenously (i.v.) and orally was 2.0 ± 0.2 and 132 ± 21 mg/kg, respectively. The rate of elimination of zygacine from whole blood was determined to be 0.06 ± 0.01/min, which corresponds to an elimination half-life of 13.0 ± 2.7 min. The i.v. LD 50 of total alkaloid extracts from a Utah and a Nevada collection were 2.8 ± 0.8 and 2.2 ± 0.3 mg/kg, respectively. The i.v. LD 50 of methyllycaconitine (MLA), a major toxic alkaloid in low larkspur, was 4.6 ± 0.5 mg/kg, whereas the i.v. LD 50 of a 1:1 mixture of MLA and zygacine was 2.9 ± 0.7 mg/kg. The clinical signs in mice treated with this mixture were very similar to those of mice treated with zygacine alone, including the time of onset and death. These results suggest that there is an additive effect of coadministering these 2 alkaloids i.v. in mice.The results from this study increase knowledge and understanding regarding the acute toxicity of death camas. As combined intoxications are most likely common, this information will be useful in further developing management recommendations for ranchers and in designing additional experiments to study the toxicity of death camas to livestock.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The acute toxicity of the death camas (Zigadenus species) alkaloid zygacine in mice, including the effect of methyllycaconitine coadministration on zygacine toxicity1

Welch

Panter

Gardner

et al. 2011

Journal of Animal Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although we cannot fully exclude the presence of additional compounds in the alkaloid extract, the characteristic amphoteric behaviour that makes alkaloids soluble in polar solvents at low pH and then soluble in non-polar solvents at high pH is unusual, and this technique should be efficient for the preferential extraction of this class of compounds (Majak et al, 1992). Although we cannot fully exclude the presence of additional compounds in the alkaloid extract, the characteristic amphoteric behaviour that makes alkaloids soluble in polar solvents at low pH and then soluble in non-polar solvents at high pH is unusual, and this technique should be efficient for the preferential extraction of this class of compounds (Majak et al, 1992).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our results represent the first indication that steroid alkaloids have a phagostimulatory effect on the herbivores that sequester them. Although we cannot fully exclude the presence of additional compounds in the alkaloid extract, the characteristic amphoteric behaviour that makes alkaloids soluble in polar solvents at low pH and then soluble in non-polar solvents at high pH is unusual, and this technique should be efficient for the preferential extraction of this class of compounds (Majak et al, 1992). Given that it is one of the compounds sequestered, and that it was the principal ceveratrum alkaloid found in chemical analyses of V. nigrum, it is interesting to consider whether the phagostimulatory activity found in our complete alkaloid extract of V. nigrum is principally due to zygadenine (H. Gfeller, U. Schaffner & J.-L. Boevé, unpubl.).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host specificity and host recognition in a chemically-defended herbivore, the tenthredinid sawfly Rhadinoceraea nodicornis

Barker

Schaffner

Boevé

2002

Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Insect-Plant Relationships

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The sawfly Rhadinoceraea nodicornis Konow (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) is a member of a closely related group of species, the tribe Phymatocerini, which feed on the Liliales and Ranunculales. It is known to sequester steroid alkaloids from its host plants, species in the genus Veratrum (Liliales: Melanthiaceae), and to use them as a defence against predators. There are known chemical relationships between the hosts of R. nodicornis and hosts of related sawfly species. We tested whether the R. nodicornis larvae would accept hosts of closely-and more distantly-related sawflies, but found that they accepted only plant species in the genus Veratrum. This specificity was apparently innate, as it was independent of early larval experience. A feeding bioassay showed that the steroid alkaloids from Veratrum nigrum were phagostimulatory for R. nodicornis larvae, suggesting that they may be involved in host recognition. We discuss the possibility that the evolution of recognition of specific compounds may represent the mechanism of host radiation within the Phymatocerini.

show abstract

“…Zygacine concentrations range from 2 to 4 mg/g, and are highest in vegetative tissue and pods . Majak et al (1992) also reported that 2 related forms of zygadenine were not detected in vegetative plants, but concentrations of these alkaloids increased dramatically in pods. The mechanism of action is not known.…”

Section: Death Camasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Journal of Range Management, Volume 54, Number 4 (July 2001)

2001

REM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The objectives of this Colorado study were to assess primary reasons ranchers choose to stay or sell the ranch, compare the motivations for ranching between a traditional agriculturally based county and a rapidly developing county, and assess whether factors such as length of tenure, fiscal dependency on ranching, and dependency on public lands play roles in decisions to sell. Personal interviews were conducted with 37 ranchers. While land use conversion occurs for a wide variety of reasons, lack of heirs and detrimental public policy were important reasons given for selling ranches. Responses showed Routt County (a rapidly developing county) ranchers were more likely to sell due to land use conversion related issues than Moffat County ranchers (p = 0.056). Ranchers with a longer legacy on their land reported that profitability, having likely heirs, and continuing tradition enhanced their reasons to stay. Groups more "at risk" of selling were non-homesteading ranchers close to retirement, larger ranches, and ranchers dependent on ranching for income with declining profits. Large ranch owners experiencing land use conflicts with non-ranchers and ranchers modestly dependent on public forage experiencing changes in public policy regulations and land use conflicts also indicated a higher proclivity to sell. Noting how groups of ranchers are impacted by different changes can help refine community efforts related to land use conversion and create more thoughtful policy measures.

show abstract

Content of zygacine in Zygadenus venenosus at different stages of growth

Cited by 31 publications

References 7 publications

The acute toxicity of the death camas (Zigadenus species) alkaloid zygacine in mice, including the effect of methyllycaconitine coadministration on zygacine toxicity1

The acute toxicity of the death camas (Zigadenus species) alkaloid zygacine in mice, including the effect of methyllycaconitine coadministration on zygacine toxicity1

Host specificity and host recognition in a chemically-defended herbivore, the tenthredinid sawfly Rhadinoceraea nodicornis

Journal of Range Management, Volume 54, Number 4 (July 2001)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About