Pyrrolidine Alkaloid Poisoning in Rats: Protective Effects of Dietary Cysteine

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Abstract
The toxicity of the pyrrohzidine alkaloid-containing plants, Senecio jacobaea (tansy ragwort) and Senecio vulgaris (common grounsel), to rats was studied. Groundsel contained .206% alkaloid (% of dry matter) and tansy ragwort contained .181% of alkaloid. Survival time was less (P<.05) for rats fed 5% groundsel in the diet than for rats fed 5% tansy ragwort. At equivalent doses, the alkaloid isolated from groundsel was more toxic when injected intraperitoneally than the alkaloid from tansy ragwort. In three experiments with growing rats, the inclusion of 1% dietary cysteine had partial protective activity against dietary tansy ragwort. Survival time was increased (P<.01) in rats fed cysteine; 1% methionine was without effect. Measurements of growth rate, total serum protein, serum albumin, and liver weight indicated a partial protective effect of dietary cysteine. The toxicity of injected tansy ragwort alkaloid was reduced in rats fed 1% cysteine, as assessed by % mortality within 7 days post-injection. The results suggest that dietary cysteine has protective activity against pyrrolidine alkaloid toxicity in rats. Copyright © 1976. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1976 by American Society of Animal Science.

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