Cook Daniel, Gardner Dale R, Pfister James A, Lee Stephen T, Welch Kevin D, Welsh Stanley L
USDA/ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory, 1150 East 1400 North, Logan, UT, 84341, USA.
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
Chem Biodivers. 2017 Apr;14(4). doi: 10.1002/cbdv.201600364. Epub 2017 Mar 23.
Swainsonine is found in several plant species worldwide, and causes severe toxicosis in livestock grazing these plants, leading to a chronic condition characterized by weight loss, altered behavior, depression, decreased libido, infertility, and death. Swainsonine has been detected in 13 North American Astragalus species of which eight belong to taxa in four taxonomic sections, the Densifolii, Diphysi, Inflati, and Trichopodi. These sections belong to two larger groups representing several morphologically related species, the Pacific Piptolobi and the small-flowered Piptolobi. The objective of this study was to screen the other 31 species for swainsonine in sections Densifolii, Diphysi, Inflati, and Trichopodi previously not known to contain swainsonine. Furthermore, to broaden the scope further, 21 species within the 8 sections of the Pacific Piptolobi and the small flowered Piptolobi were screened for swainsonine. Swainsonine was detected for the first time in 36 Astragalus taxa representing 29 species using liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Several taxonomic sections were highly enriched in species that contain swainsonine while others were not. A systematic examination for swainsonine in these species will provide important information on the toxic risk of these species and may be a valuable reference for diagnosticians and land managers.
苦马豆素存在于世界各地的多种植物物种中，会导致放牧这些植物的家畜发生严重中毒，引发一种以体重减轻、行为改变、抑郁、性欲减退、不育和死亡为特征的慢性病症。在北美13种黄芪属植物中检测到了苦马豆素，其中8种属于四个分类组中的类群，即密叶组、双荚组、胀果组和毛荚组。这些组属于两个较大的类群，代表了几个形态相关的物种，即太平洋长荚黄芪类群和小花长荚黄芪类群。本研究的目的是对密叶组、双荚组、胀果组和毛荚组中先前未知含有苦马豆素的其他31个物种进行苦马豆素筛查。此外，为了进一步扩大范围，对太平洋长荚黄芪类群和小花长荚黄芪类群的8个组内的21个物种进行了苦马豆素筛查。使用液相色谱和气相色谱联用质谱法首次在代表29个物种的36个黄芪类群中检测到了苦马豆素。几个分类组中富含含有苦马豆素的物种，而其他组则不然。对这些物种中的苦马豆素进行系统检测将提供有关这些物种毒性风险的重要信息，可能对诊断人员和土地管理者具有宝贵的参考价值。
