The Indolizidine Alkaloids, Slaframine and Swainsonine: Contaminants in Animal Forages

Pharmacokinetic study of slaframine in lactating goats and transfer into milk

“…The top aqueous layer from each tube was then removed and placed in a 10-ml beaker. A 3-mi volume of IN NaOH solution was added and the pH was adjusted to 10 with 10°/o sodium carbonate. The contents of each iO-mi beaker was poured into a clean i5-ml screw-cap glass test tube.…”

“…in the goats an increase in the specific activityof tr>'psin suggested an increase in the production of digestive enzv-mes (10) hours. In dairy cattle a decrease in milk production and body weight is also associated with slaframine toxicity.…”

“…This conformation provides a necessary requisite for binding to muscarinic acet\'!choiine receptors; resuuing in ptnasy mpathomimctic action (10,31,35). Evidence that acuvated slaframine might have an action similar to acet\-lcholine is provided by the obser\'ation that atropine counteracts the effects of both the toxin and acetylcholine.…”

“…However, when atropine was given before slaframine metabolite no contraction occurred; reinforcing the similarity to cholinergic action. The binding of slaframine to these receptors must be greater than atropine, because high levels of atropine will not displace slaframine either in vitro or in vivo (10,34,36).…”

“…In another study by Aust (3,5,10,12,33), an anesthetized cat was given an IV dose of 0.3 mg/kg slaframine. The submaxillary duct of the salivary gland was cannulated to measure salivary flow.…”