Abstract
Swainsonine is the primary toxin in locoweeds. It causes intention tremors, reproductive dysfunction, emaciation, and death. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential reproductive and developmental toxicities caused by swainsonine in mice. The treatment groups consisting of three generations of mice were given a range of concentrations of swainsonine by intraperitoneal injection (2.50 mg/kg body weight (BW), 1.20 mg/kg BW, 0.60 mg/kg BW, and 0 mg/kg BW). The 0 mg/kg BW group exhibited significantly fewer estrous cycles and an increased number of estrous ones compared to the 2.50 mg/kg BW, 1.20 mg/kg BW, and 0.60 mg/kg BW groups (P < 0.05). All three generations of mice treated with swainsonine had significantly higher spleen, liver, and kidney indices and significantly lower body weights compared to the 0 mg/kg BW group (P < 0.05). For the first and second generations of treatment group, the copulation indices and the numbers of live pups on postnatal days (PND) 0, 4, and 15 were significantly decreased compared to those of the 0 mg/kg BW group (P < 0.05). The fertility and gestation indices of the treatment group of the first generation were significantly increased compared to the 2.50 mg/kg BW, 1.20 mg/kg BW, and 0.60 mg/kg BW groups of the second generation (P < 0.05). Cumulatively, these results indicate that swainsonine may cause reproductive and developmental toxicities in mice in both parents and offspring.
Highlights
Locoweeds (Astragalus and Oxytropis spp.), a taxa of the Legume family, are toxic plants in the western United States that frequently poison livestock [1]
Consumption of locoweeds by grazing animals can result in locoism, which is characterized by emaciation, staggering gait, lack of muscular coordination, reproductive disturbances, immune system impairment, and death [2, 3]
Swainsonine toxicity caused by consumption of locoweed causes intention tremors, generalized depression, nervousness, proprioceptive deficits, aberrant behavior, reproductive dysfunction, emaciation, and death [8]
Summary
Locoweeds (Astragalus and Oxytropis spp.), a taxa of the Legume family, are toxic plants in the western United States that frequently poison livestock [1]. Consumption of locoweeds by grazing animals can result in locoism, which is characterized by emaciation, staggering gait, lack of muscular coordination, reproductive disturbances, immune system impairment, and death [2, 3]. Swainsonine toxicity caused by consumption of locoweed causes intention tremors, generalized depression, nervousness, proprioceptive deficits, aberrant behavior, reproductive dysfunction, emaciation, and death [8]. Swainsonine from locoweed causes acute intoxication in horses, goats, and sheep, in addition to chronic poisoning in rabbits, rats, and mice. Its toxicity often occurs during pregnancy in livestock and may have different effects on embryonic development depending on the conceptus phase and maternal conditions during acute intoxication. We observed swainsonine effects on mouse reproductive performance during chronic poisoning. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of three different doses of swainsonine in female mice during estrus, gestation, childbirth, and lactation. We report the results of the reproductive and developmental toxicities of swainsonine
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