A comparative study of sheep and pigs given the tremorgenic mycotoxins verruculogen and penitrem A

The moulds Penicillium simplicissimum and P crustosum and the tremorgenic mycotoxins, verruculogen and penitrem A, isolated from them, were given to sheep and pigs to compare their potencies. Pigs were generally less susceptible and in both species penitrem A was less potent than verruculogen. Five-month-old lambs seemed more susceptible to mycelium containing verruculogen than were 15-month-old sheep given a similar oral dose relative to bodyweight. Repeated daily dosing of lambs and sheep for five days with P simplicissimum failed to enhance the effect, indicating that verruculogen toxicity was not cumulative. Long and short acting barbiturate anaesthesia blocked the effects of lethal doses of tremorgens. Sedation with diazepam diminished, but did not block, mycotoxin-induced tremors suggesting that there was no specific action of this anticonvulsant sedative on tremorgens.