Alkaloids of Stipa robusta (sleepygrass) infected with an Acremonium endophyte.
Abstract: Stipa robusta (= Stipa vaseyi) is a perennial grass found in certain areas of the southwestern United States. It is commonly known as sleepygrass, as horses that ingest this grass may become profoundly somnolent or stuporous for periods of time lasting up to several days. In an attempt to determine the active principle(s), fractionation of a methanolic extract of sleepygrass infected with an Acremonium endophyte has yielded lysergic acid amide (20 micrograms/g dry wt), isolysergic amide (8), 8-hydroxylsergic acid amide (0.3), ergonovine (7), chanoclavine-I (15), and N-formylloline (18). Related alkaloids have been found in many endophyte-infected grasses. The dominant alkaloid constituent in sleepygrass, lysergic acid amide, has not previously been identified in a grass in such high concentration. Lysergic acid amide is likely to be the basis for the extreme sedative effects on animals, given past pharmacological work on the compound from the ergot fungus Claviceps paspali.
Publication Date: 1992-01-01 PubMed ID: 1344912DOI: 10.1002/nt.2620010205Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Animal Health
- Diagnosis
- Disease control
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Disease Management
- Disease Outbreaks
- Disease Prevention
- Disease Surveillance
- Disease Transmission
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Infection
- Infectious Disease
- Poisoning
- Public Health
- Toxic plants
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The study investigates the chemical composition of sleepygrass, traditionally known to cause drowsiness in horses. The research finds that the grass, when infected with a certain endophyte, contains alkaloids like lysergic acid amide, the concentration of which is noted as potentially responsible for the strong sedative effect.
Background
- Sleepygrass (Stipa robusta) is a perennial grass native to specific areas of the southwestern United States. Ingestion of this grass in horses has been observed to induce profound sleepiness or stupor, lasting for several days.
- The study was initiated to identify the active principle causing this phenomenon, through fractionation of a methanolic extract of sleepygrass infected with an endophyte named Acremonium.
Findings
- Analysis has found the presence of several alkaloids including lysergic acid amide, isolysergic amide, 8-hydroxylsergic acid amide, ergonovine, chanoclavine-I, and N-formylloline.
- The dominant alkaloid was identified to be lysergic acid amide, found at an unusually high concentration, not previously identified in a grass at this level.
Implications
- This study suggests that lysergic acid amide is likely responsible for the extreme sedative effects seen in animals consuming sleepygrass. This is based on previous pharmacological research conducted on the compound from the ergot fungus Claviceps paspali.
- These findings may provide vital insights into the impacts of specific endophytes on plant chemistry and the consequent effects on foraging animals.
- Further research could also guide measures to mitigate potential risks associated with endophyte-infected grasses for livestock.
Cite This Article
APA
Petroski RJ, Powell RG, Clay K.
(1992).
Alkaloids of Stipa robusta (sleepygrass) infected with an Acremonium endophyte.
Nat Toxins, 1(2), 84-88.
https://doi.org/10.1002/nt.2620010205 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- U.S.D.A., Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, Illinois 61604.
MeSH Terms
- Acremonium / metabolism
- Alkaloids / isolation & purification
- Alkaloids / metabolism
- Alkaloids / toxicity
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Hypnotics and Sedatives / isolation & purification
- Hypnotics and Sedatives / toxicity
- Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / analogs & derivatives
- Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / isolation & purification
- Mycotoxins / isolation & purification
- Mycotoxins / toxicity
- Plant Poisoning / etiology
- Plant Poisoning / veterinary
- Poaceae / chemistry
- Poaceae / microbiology
- Symbiosis
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Khan MS, Gao J, Munir I, Zhang M, Liu Y, Moe TS, Xue J, Zhang X. Characterization of Endophytic Fungi, Acremonium sp., from Lilium davidii and Analysis of Its Antifungal and Plant Growth-Promoting Effects.. Biomed Res Int 2021;2021:9930210.
- Caradus JR, Johnson LJ. Epichloë Fungal Endophytes-From a Biological Curiosity in Wild Grasses to an Essential Component of Resilient High Performing Ryegrass and Fescue Pastures.. J Fungi (Basel) 2020 Nov 27;6(4).
- Shi X, Qin T, Liu H, Wu M, Li J, Shi Y, Gao Y, Ren A. Endophytic Fungi Activated Similar Defense Strategies of Achnatherum sibiricum Host to Different Trophic Types of Pathogens.. Front Microbiol 2020;11:1607.
- Knoch TR, Faeth SH, Arnott DL. Endophytic fungi alter foraging and dispersal by desert seed-harvesting ants.. Oecologia 1993 Oct;95(4):470-473.
- Florea S, Panaccione DG, Schardl CL. Ergot Alkaloids of the Family Clavicipitaceae.. Phytopathology 2017 May;107(5):504-518.
- Qin J, Gao Y, Liu H, Zhou Y, Ren A, Gao Y. Effect of Endophyte Infection and Clipping Treatment on Resistance and Tolerance of Achnatherum sibiricum.. Front Microbiol 2016;7:1988.
- Young CA, Schardl CL, Panaccione DG, Florea S, Takach JE, Charlton ND, Moore N, Webb JS, Jaromczyk J. Genetics, genomics and evolution of ergot alkaloid diversity.. Toxins (Basel) 2015 Apr 14;7(4):1273-302.
- Guerre P. Ergot alkaloids produced by endophytic fungi of the genus Epichloë.. Toxins (Basel) 2015 Mar 6;7(3):773-90.
- Shymanovich T, Saari S, Lovin ME, Jarmusch AK, Jarmusch SA, Musso AM, Charlton ND, Young CA, Cech NB, Faeth SH. Alkaloid variation among epichloid endophytes of sleepygrass (Achnatherum robustum) and consequences for resistance to insect herbivores.. J Chem Ecol 2015 Jan;41(1):93-104.
- Li X, Ren A, Han R, Yin L, Wei M, Gao Y. Endophyte-mediated effects on the growth and physiology of Achnatherum sibiricum are conditional on both N and P availability.. PLoS One 2012;7(11):e48010.
- Lucero ME, Unc A, Cooke P, Dowd S, Sun S. Endophyte microbiome diversity in micropropagated Atriplex canescens and Atriplex torreyi var griffithsii.. PLoS One 2011 Mar 17;6(3):e17693.
- Faeth SH, Hayes CJ, Gardner DR. Asexual endophytes in a native grass: tradeoffs in mortality, growth, reproduction, and alkaloid production.. Microb Ecol 2010 Oct;60(3):496-504.
- Faeth SH, Gardner DR, Hayes CJ, Jani A, Wittlinger SK, Jones TA. Temporal and spatial variation in alkaloid levels in Achnatherum robustum, a native grass infected with the endophyte Neotyphodium.. J Chem Ecol 2006 Feb;32(2):307-24.
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