Hepatotoxicity of Two Progoitrin-Derived Nitriles in New Zealand White Rabbits.

Mark Grey Collett, Zoe Maree Matthews, Kathleen Henry Parton

Toxins 2020 Nov 02

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Cattle occasionally develop brassica-associated liver disease (BALD) and photosensitisation when grazing turnip or swede (Brassica spp.) forage crops. The liver toxin in these brassica varieties has yet to be discovered. Progoitrin is the dominant glucosinolate in incriminated crops. Apart from goitrin, progoitrin hydrolysis yields the nitrile, 1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene (CHB), and the epithionitrile, 1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3,4-epithiobutane (CHEB). The two compounds were custom-synthesised. In a small pilot trial, New Zealand White rabbits were given either CHB or CHEB by gavage. Single doses of 0.75 mmol/kg of CHB or 0.25 mmol/kg of CHEB were subtoxic and elicited subclinical effects. Higher doses were severely hepatotoxic, causing periportal to massive hepatic necrosis associated with markedly elevated serum liver biomarkers often resulting in severe illness or death within 24 h. The possibility that one or both of these hepatotoxic nitriles causes BALD in cattle requires further investigation.

Citation

Mark Grey Collett, Zoe Maree Matthews, Kathleen Henry Parton. Hepatotoxicity of Two Progoitrin-Derived Nitriles in New Zealand White Rabbits. Toxins. 2020 Nov 02;12(11)