Toxicon最新文献

Filamentous fungi are recognized for their significance in food processing and antibiotic production, as well as their capacity to produce mycotoxins. Numerous secondary metabolites have been investigated, and their occurrence in foodstuffs, both in the field and during the storage of agricultural products, poses a substantial health risk to consumers. Several fungal species capable of producing mycotoxins have been documented. However, their presence suggests the potential occurrence of mycotoxins, of which only the most well-known are considered in health risk assessment, thus potentially underestimating the complex mixture to which consumers may be exposed. This review examines the range of secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus species of the Flavi section found in agricultural products and foodstuffs. Known for their ability to produce aflatoxins, the presence of these fungi typically leads to the investigation of only aflatoxins, and possibly cyclopiazonic acid, in contaminated foods. This review elucidates the secondary metabolites produced by the Flavi section of Aspergillus and examines the associated hazards, to contribute to the assessment of the potential risk that the presence of these fungi in food products may represent.

The present study focused on assessing the impact of clove oil on adult snails, specifically Eobania vermiculata, due to their detrimental effects on plants and crops. Our investigation aimed to explore both the lethal and sub-lethal toxicity of clove oil under laboratory and field conditions, with the goal of elucidating the mechanisms underlying its toxic effects on E. vermiculata. Snails were exposed to various concentrations of clove oil for one week to determine the LC₅₀, which was calculated to be 5.25% v/v (4.029-6.087). To investigate the molluscicidal effects of clove oil, snails were divided into three groups: control, vehicle-treated (1 % Tween 80), and treated group exposed to sub-lethal concentration (½ LC₅₀) of clove oil for one week. Compared to the control group, the exposure to ½ LC₅₀ of clove oil for 7 days resulted in significant increases in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Conversely, the level of acetylecholnstrase (AChE) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was decreased. Furthermore, testosterone (T) and estrogen (E) levels were significantly reduced. Histological and ultrastructural studies revealed significant tissue disorganization. Additionally, Comet assay results confirmed the genotoxic potential of clove oil on E. vermiculata. Field trials demonstrated a higher reduction in snail populations in plots treated with methomyl (80% and 92% reduction after 7 and 14 days, respectively) compared to those treated with clove oil (64% and 73% reduction, respectively). While slightly less effective than methomyl, clove oil offers a valuable, natural, and residue-free alternative for eco-friendly snail management.

Amanita pantherina poisoning is a rare event poorly described. The clinical picture is usually associated with the one of A. muscaria, but A. pantherina contains more muscimol causing more often coma. We describe a case of severe coma and seizures after A. pantherina ingestion. A woman of 56 years old was found at home unresponsive with miosis, clonic movements of four limbs, normal respiratory and cardiovascular functions and without cerebral ischemic symptoms. Her husband reported mushrooms ingestion 4 hours earlier that were picked up in the home garden and believed to be Macrolepiota procera. Unenhanced brain CT and cerebral CT angiography were normal. Blood tests were within normal range, including troponin I, creatine phosphokinase and lactate. Toxicological screening was negative for methadone, ecstasy, amphetamines, barbiturate, cannabinoids, cocaine, opioids and benzodiazepines. Suspecting ingestion of A. pantherina, gastrointestinal decontamination was done. Mycological examination of residual stems of the ingested mushrooms identified A. pantherina, and evaluation of photos of the same mushrooms growing in their garden confirmed the species. Electroencephalogram confirmed epileptiform activity and levetiracetam 3.000 mg/day was started. The patient was always hemodynamically stable but daily neurologic wake-up test highlighted the presence of agitation and clonic movements of the limbs up to the 7th day of hospitalization. Levetiracetam was tapered and stopped after two months based on neurological improvement. The patient recovered without sequelae. Amanita pantherina poisoning is a rare event and clinical picture of convulsions and coma often guides the diagnosis towards organic pathologies. The latter should be excluded first but an accurate anamnesis should also consider mushrooms consumption. Gastrointestinal decontamination may be the only therapy for reducing toxins absorption and clinical severity. Our patient had acute severe neurological effects lasted many days, but she completely recovered with intensive treatment and levetiracetam administration.

Ficus erecta Thunb. is a traditional medicinal plant used to treat various diseases in Asian countries. We recently reported the potential of the ethanol extract of F. erecta Thunb. leaves (EEFE) as a source of functional foods for cognitive improvement. However, there is insufficient scientific evidence supporting the safety of EEFE. In this study, we performed an acute oral toxicity test using Sprague-Dawley rats following Good Laboratory Practice regulations to assess the possible toxicity of EEFE. After single oral administration of EEFE at a maximum dose of 5000 mg/kg, the mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes, and gross findings were monitored for 2 weeks. No mortality was observed, and EEFE had no adverse effects on body weight or gross findings in all EEFE-administered rats. On the first day after administration, EEFE-colored stool was observed in both male and female groups. However, these symptoms were considered to be transient, caused by the color of the test substance. Overall, the approximate lethal dose of EEFE was determined to be over 5000 mg/kg in the acute toxicity test. Additionally, we established and validated a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-based analytical method for the quality control of EEFE using rutin as a marker compound. The method showed excellent linearity, accuracy, repeatability, and precision. The findings of this study could serve as fundamental data for ensuring the safety and standardization of EEFE.

Nicotine is a toxic and addictive alkaloid found in tobacco and tobacco products that is harmful to human health and is an environmental pollutant. Nicotine-degrading microorganisms are unique microorganisms with the ability to use nicotine molecules as their sole source of nitrogen and carbon needed for growth. They are capable of degrading nicotine into less toxic or non-toxic metabolites. This review describes the environment's primary nicotine contamination sources and potential hazards. It also summarizes various types of nicotine-degrading microorganisms, their optimal culture conditions, and degradation efficiency. Four different catabolic pathways of nicotine in microorganisms are discussed, and the applications of nicotine-degrading microorganisms in different fields, such as the tobacco, pharmaceutical, and environmental protection industries, are outlined. This review describes the hazards of nicotine and the current research and application of nicotine-degrading microorganisms. It provides a theoretical reference for future research on nicotine-degrading microorganisms and their applications.

Mosquitoes, as hematophagous ectoparasites, are significant pests and vectors of numerous pathogens, causing diseases such as dengue, lymphatic filariasis, malaria, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis in India. This study investigates the potential of natural insecticides derived from plants to combat mosquito populations, focusing on botanical extract from the leave of Sphaeranthus indicus. Specifically, the hexane extract of S. indicus exhibited notable efficacy against Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. The research entailed the extraction, fractionation, and structural identification of active compounds through spectroscopic analysis. Among ten fractions isolated, fraction 4 demonstrated the highest mosquitocidal activity, leading to the identification of β-isocostic acid as the primary active compound. The study's biological assays included ovicidal, larvicidal, and pupicidal tests, revealing that β-isocostic acid exhibited significant efficacy, with ovicidal activity rates of 75.2% and 78.2% at 2 ppm against Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. Larvicidal and pupicidal assays further confirmed the potent activity of β-isocostic acid, with LC₅₀ values of 1.02 ppm and 0.96 ppm against Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae, and 1.20 ppm and 1.14 ppm against Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus pupae respectively. The isolated compound demonstrated comparable efficacy to azadirachtin and temephos, indicating its potential as a natural mosquitocidal agent. This research underscores the importance of exploring botanical sources for developing effective and environmentally sustainable mosquito control strategies, particularly in light of increasing resistance to synthetic insecticides. The findings suggest that β-isocostic acid could serve as a viable alternative to chemical mosquitocides, contributing to integrated vector management programs.

Handling venomous snakes poses a significant risk of envenomation. In the case of spitting cobras, additional precautions, like wearing face shields, are necessary to prevent ophthalmic envenomation. Although, the Monocled Cobra (Naja kaouthia) is not a true spitting cobra, however some spitting events has been reported from Northeastern India and Nepal but ocular envenomation is scarce. In this report, a snake researcher experienced eye exposure to spitted venom while measuring a N. kaouthia. The researcher promptly irrigated his eyes and received medical treatment. He experienced intense pain, burning sensations, redness, vision problems, corneal edema, scleral hemorrhage and treated with Paracetamol and Moxifloxacin Hydrochloride. This report underscores the potential risk of ocular injury from Monocled Cobras and emphasizes the importance of using appropriate safety equipment, such as face shields, to minimize the danger of ophthalmic envenomation when working with these snakes.

As global warming and water eutrophication, the multiple proliferation of harmful cyanobacteria can form algal blooms and cause serious ecological problems. In recent years, the large-scale and persistent cyanobacterial blooms occur frequently worldwide and have attracted widespread attention due to the harmful impacts. Among these harmful bloom-forming cyanobacteria, the ecological and toxicological impacts of planktonic cyanobacteria have been extensively studied. However, research on the ecological risks and adverse effects of harmful benthic cyanobacteria is lagging. Filter-feeding fish could suffer from more toxic stimuli than other fish due to their special feeding habits. To investigate and compare the complex toxic effects of different kinds of harmful cyanobacteria on fish, three different-sized (i.e. small, medium, and large) juvenile silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) were exposed to cyanobacterial blooms-related density (1 × 10⁶ cells/mL) of Microcystis aeruginosa (i.e. generating microcystins) and Oscillatoria sp. (i.e. generating cylindrospermopsin) for 3 d, after which biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver of fish were detected. The silver carp and bighead carp can effectively ingest Microcystis cells but cannot effectively ingest Oscillatoria cells through the measurement of the levels of cyanotoxins. Both Microcystis and Oscillatoria cells can induce different levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the liver of these juvenile filter-feeding fish via altering the biochemical parameters of the antioxidant system (e.g. superoxide dismutase activity) and immune system (e.g. interleukin-1β level). Therefore, our research identified potential data gaps that how the different types of cyanobacteria induce toxic effects in the liver of juvenile filter-feeding fish in a short time. This study contributes to a better understanding of the short-term adverse effects of different cyanobacterial species on juvenile fish, suggesting that the benthic toxic cyanobacteria-induced ecological and health risks require further attention.

The systematic annotation of novel peptides found in the venom of scorpions needs revision. The commonly used two-letter acronym with the initials of the genus and the species is not discriminative and induces confusion. A new universal five-letter abbreviated code is here proposed. With this code, every species can be unambiguously identified. The code contains the initial capital letter of the genus, followed by four letters from the species. This code discriminates the large majority of the species. For the few others from the same genus and with coinciding initial letters of the species name, a change in the fifth letter ensures uniqueness. For scorpions belonging to different genera with identical initial letters and the same exact species name, a five-letter identifier can be generated by using two letters from the genus (in uppercase) and three letters from the species (in lowercase). Following this proposal, the peptides belonging to all scorpion species can be properly annotated.

Senna is a medicinal herb commonly used as a laxative and dietary aid for weight loss. Repeated consumption of Senna may lead to persistent diarrhea. Furthermore, cases of acute liver failure and hepato-encephalopathic syndrome after chronic Senna ingestion were reported in literature. In this situation, this manuscript aims to report and discuss two simultaneous fatalities putatively related to Senna repeated ingestions with analytical documentation. Two siblings in their thirties, who had no notable medical history except being overweight, passed away within two days of each other. Their family revealed that they had been regularly consuming Senna for weight loss purposes. Samples of leaves, supposed to be Senna, were analyzed and the identification of Senna was confirmed by detecting its main component (sennosides). Moreover, analyses of samples from siblings confirmed the effectiveness of Senna consumption by detection of Senna related substances (rheinanthrone and aloe-emodine) in urine, bile and feces. In view of these results, rheinanthrone and aloe-emodin can be suggested as analytical targets, particularly in urine, as biomarkers of Senna exposure. In these two fatalities, analytical data and metabolism studies confirmed use, but not necessarily toxicity. However, on a forensic point of view, the similarities in symptoms and the surprising simultaneity of the clinical events leading to fatalities suggest Senna exposure as the main hypothesis to explain these simultaneous deaths.