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Comparative hematoxicity of fusirium mycotoxin in experimental sprague-dawley rats
Pronobesh Chattopadhyay1, Aadesh Upadhyay, Amit Agnihotri
1Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur, Assam, India.
Abstract:
Mycotoxins are fungal toxin and contaminated to human through food-stuffs. Hematological abnormality, mainly thrombocytopenia and leukopenia are induced after consumption of mycotoxin. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the hematotoxicity of trichothecenes mycotoxins in Sprague-Dawley rats. Hematological parameters viz. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocyte count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell distribution width, mean platelet volume, plateletcrit and platelet distribution width were determined at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h after injection of 0.5 ml of T-2, Deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol, zearalenone, neosolaniol, ochratoxin-B mycotoxin equivalent to 1 × 10(-3) μg/μl to Sprague-Dawley rats. Experiments showed that trichothecenes toxin produces severe hematological alternation. The reductions of RBC and WBC were observed in all Fusarium mycotoxins treated group. T-2 toxin group shows severe toxicity as compared to other mycotoxin treated group. DON is the least hematotoxicity and T-2 the most.
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.

