Impaired vitamin E status of chicks fed T-2 toxin

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the toxicity of dietary T-2 toxin (4,15-diacetoxy-8-(3-methylbutyryloxy)-12,13-epoxy-delta 9-tricothecen-3-ol) in young pullets. Growth of day-old chicks fed a practical-type diet containing the toxin was described by the following function: Y = .152 + 58.497e(.305X1-.005X2(1.66); where Y = gain as percentage starting weight per week; X1 is time in weeks and O less than or equal to X2 is T-2 content of diet in ppm and O less than or equal to X2 less than or equal to 15. Chicks chronically exposed to the toxin showed compensatory growth upon its removal from the diet; however, latent effects on energy utilization were observed. Lesions of the oral mucosa produced by T-2 toxin showed spontaneous remission after about 14 days. T-2 toxin consistently produced depressed concentrations of vitamin E in plasma. Addition of micelle-promoting compounds (taurocholic, monoolein, and oleic acids) alleviated depressions in both plasma vitamin E and growth.