Responses to orally ingested Neotyphodium endophyte toxins in laboratory animals

Abstract

A series of experiment were conducted to examine the toxicities of Neotyphodium endophyte in laboratory animals. Groups of mice and hamsters were fed endophytic perennial ryegrass seeds. The hamsters presented ergotism-like symptoms while mice hardly indicated the toxicosis. Goups of mice and hamsters were fed endophytic perennial ryegrass seeds for 8 days and total excreta collections were made to evaluate apparent absorptions of endophytic alkaloids. Accumulations of endophyte toxins in the tissues and organs were also analysed. Although approximately 50% of lolitrem B and 90% of ergovaline were absorbed by both species, and lolitrem B accumulation in the liver and fat tissues, only the hamsters showed mild tremors. A condensed lolitrem B fraction was orally administrated to mice and hamsters and total excreta collections were made. The mice were not affected by even large amounts of lolitrem B dosages with high absorptions (>80%) when orally administrated. Keywords: ergovaline, lolitrem B, toxicosis, mouse, hamster, endophyte