Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in commercial feedstuffs for horses.
Abstract: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are secondary plant metabolites with hepatotoxic effect in humans and several animal species. In recent studies, foods such as herbal teas and honey have been found to be contaminated with pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify and assess pyrrolizidine alkaloids in compound feeds manufactured for horses and containing either alfalfa or a blend of herbs. Methods: Forty-eight feed products for horses were included in the study. The feedstuffs were analysed for 28 selected pyrrolizidine alkaloids by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The concentrations of the individual pyrrolizidine alkaloids were summed to calculate the total pyrrolizidine alkaloid content. Results: In 7 of 48 samples, pyrrolizidine alkaloid concentrations were below the limit of quantification of 1-5 μg/kg. The median of 41 out of 48 samples was 58 μg/kg, and the 25 and 75th percentiles were 8 and 151 μg/kg. The highest observed pyrrolizidine alkaloid concentrations, 1306 and 1222 μg/kg, were found in two alfalfa-based feed products, followed by 836 μg/kg in an herb-containing feed product. Lycopsamine, seneciphylline, seneciphylline-N-oxide, senecionine and senecionine-N-oxide were the most frequently detected alkaloids. Conclusions: Risk assessment was based on no-observed-adverse-effect-level for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in rats and humans. The specific susceptibility of horses to pyrrolizidine alkaloids remains unknown. Conclusions: According to our risk assessment, pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination should be limited to <90 μg/kg in equine compound feeds. We showed a high rate of pyrrolizidine alkaloids contamination in feed products for horses. In 43% of the analysed samples, pyrrolizidine alkaloid levels exceeded the calculated maximum tolerable levels. There is a need to introduce measures to reduce pyrrolizidine contamination in equine feedstuffs. The Summary is available in Portuguese - see Supporting Information.
© 2018 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2018-11-09 PubMed ID: 30353948DOI: 10.1111/evj.13033Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research aims at identifying and assessing pyrrolizidine alkaloids in horse feeds either containing alfalfa or a blend of herbs, given the recent findings that these ingredients have been found to be contaminated with these hepatotoxic plant compounds. A high rate of contamination was indeed discovered in the samples, showing the need to regulate and reduce the amounts of these alkaloids in equine feeds.
Objective and Methodology
- The goal was to find and gauge pyrrolizidine alkaloids in compound feeds (those containing alfalfa or a mix of herbs) produced for horses as these compounds have been identified as toxic to the liver in several animal species and humans.
- A total of 48 horse feed products got included in the study. They analyzed the feeds for 28 selected pyrrolizidine alkaloids using a method known as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
- The individual alkaloid concentrations were added up to ascertain the total pyrrolizidine alkaloid content.
Results
- They found that 7 out of 48 samples showed alakloid concentrations below the quantifiable limit. Median concentration of 41 samples was 58 μg/kg while 25 and 75 percentiles were 8 and 151 μg/kg respectively.
- The utmost pyrrolizidine alkaloid concentrations were found in two alfalfa-based feed products with 1306 and 1222 μg/kg, followed by an 836 μg/kg in a feed product containing herbs.
- Lycopsamine, seneciphylline, seneciphylline-N-oxide, senecionine, and senecionine-N-oxide were the most commonly occurring alkaloids.
Risk Assessment and Conclusions
- The risk assessment was established based on the level of pyrrolizidine alkaloids that exhibited no adverse effects on rats and humans. The specific susceptibility of horses to these alkaloids remains unknown.
- As per the outcome of this risk evaluation, equine compound feeds should limit pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination to less than 90 μg/kg.
- A high percentage of feeds for horses showed pyrrolizidine alkaloids contamination. In 43% of the total samples analyzed, the alkaloid levels exceeded the maximum tolerable levels.
- From the results, there is a clear call to bring about measures that would reduce pyrrolizidine contamination in horse feeds.
Cite This Article
APA
Rückert C, Emmerich I, Hertzsch R, Vervuert I.
(2018).
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in commercial feedstuffs for horses.
Equine Vet J, 51(4), 495-499.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13033 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Animals
- Food Contamination / analysis
- Horses
- No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level
- Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / chemistry
Grant Funding
- German Equine Veterinary Association (GPM)
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