Comparative hematoxicity of fusirium mycotoxin in experimental sprague-dawley rats

Pronobesh Chattopadhyay1, Aadesh Upadhyay, Amit Agnihotri

  • 1Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur, Assam, India.

Insights

Mycotoxins contaminate food and cause blood abnormalities like low platelets and white blood cells. T-2 toxin showed the most severe hematotoxicity in rats, while Deoxynivalenol (DON) exhibited the least.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Hematology
  • Food Safety

Background:

  • Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi, posing a significant threat to human and animal health through contaminated food.
  • Consumption of mycotoxins can lead to hematological abnormalities, including thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) and leukopenia (low white blood cell count).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the hematotoxicity of various trichothecene mycotoxins in Sprague-Dawley rats.
  • To compare the relative toxicity of T-2 toxin, Deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol, zearalenone, neosolaniol, and ochratoxin-B.

Main Methods:

  • Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with specific mycotoxins (T-2, DON, nivalenol, zearalenone, neosolaniol, ochratoxin-B) at a concentration of 1 × 10(-3) μg/μl.
  • Hematological parameters including red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) counts, and platelet indices were measured at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours post-injection.

Main Results:

  • Trichothecene mycotoxins induced significant hematological alterations in rats.
  • A reduction in RBC and WBC counts was observed across all Fusarium mycotoxin-treated groups.
  • T-2 toxin demonstrated the most severe hematotoxicity, whereas Deoxynivalenol (DON) exhibited the least among the tested mycotoxins.

Conclusions:

  • Trichothecene mycotoxins possess considerable hematotoxic potential, impacting erythrocyte and leukocyte levels.
  • The severity of hematotoxicity varies among different trichothecene mycotoxins, with T-2 toxin being the most potent and DON the least.