ARS | Publication request: Dietary exposure of livestock and humans to hepatotoxic natural products

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: April 1, 2012
Publication Date: June 1, 2012
Repository URL: http://woodheadpublishing.com/en/book.aspx?bookID=1921
Citation: Colegate, S.M., Stegelmeier, B.L., Edgar, J.A. 2012. Dietary exposure of livestock and humans to hepatotoxic natural products. In: Fink-Gremmels, J., editor. Animal Feed Contamination: Effects on Livestock and Food Safety. Philadelphia, PA: Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Sciences, Technology and Nutrition. p. 352-82.

Interpretive Summary: Plant-associated bioactive natural products include those produced by plants per se and also by those organisms that grow on or within the plant, such as endophytic and saprophytic fungi, bacteria and insects that are consumed along with the plant. The diversity of such plant-associated bioactivities and related potencies or efficacies is a manifestation of complex evolutionary interactions and provides a font of opportunity for researchers of various disciplines.

Technical Abstract: Hepatotoxicity is a multi-factorial and multi-consequential assault on the liver by various toxins including many natural toxins that may be present in animal feed and human food. Some examples of hepatotoxins are given but the main emphasis is focused ont he hepatotoxic dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids. The chemical diversity of these alkaloids and their complex mechanism of action following acute or chronic exposure provide challenges for analysis and toxicological evaluation.