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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #332621
Title: A survey of swainsonine content in Swainsona species

Author
item Cook, Daniel
item Gardner, Dale
item Welch, Kevin
item ALLEN, JEREMY - Department Of Food And Agriculture Western Australia

Submitted to: The Australian Rangeland Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/18/2017
Publication Date: 2/25/2017
Citation: Cook, D., Gardner, D.R., Welch, K.D., Allen, J.G. 2017. A survey of swainsonine content in Swainsona species. The Australian Rangeland Journal. 39:213-218. https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ16088.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ16088

Interpretive Summary: Swainsonine is found in a number of plant species worldwide, and causes severe toxicosis in livestock grazing these plants, leading to a chronic wasting disease characterized by weight loss, depression, altered behavior, decreased libido, infertility and death. Swainsona is a large genus of the Fabaceae family with all species but one being endemic to Australia. Swainsonine has been reported to be, or expected to be, present in 26 Swainsona species in Australia. This has been determined using a jack bean a-mannosidase inhibition assay, gas chromatography, and gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Seven of these 26 Swainsona species are reported to be toxic, and for three of these no chemical assay for swainsonine has been undertaken. Only one of the 26 species has been analyzed for swainsonine using modern instrumentation such as gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. To provide clarification, 248 specimens representing 41 Swainsona species were screened for swainsonine using both liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Swainsonine was detected in 9 of the 41 Swainsona species. Eight of the swainsonine-positive taxa had not been determined to contain swainsonine previously using liquid or gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The list of swainsonine-containing taxa reported here will serve as a reference for risk assessment and diagnostic purposes.

Technical Abstract: Swainsonine, an indolizidine alkaloid with significant physiological activity, is an a-mannosidase and mannosidase II inhibitor that causes lysosomal storage disease and alters glycoprotein processing. Swainsonine is found in a number of plant species worldwide, and causes severe toxicosis in livestock grazing these plants, leading to a chronic wasting disease characterized by weight loss, depression, altered behavior, decreased libido, infertility and death. Swainsona is a large genus of the Fabaceae family with all species but one being endemic to Australia. Swainsonine has been reported to be, or expected to be, present in 26 Swainsona species in Australia. This has been determined using a jack bean a-mannosidase inhibition assay, gas chromatography, and gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Seven of these 26 Swainsona species are reported to be toxic, and for three of these no chemical assay for swainsonine has been undertaken. Only one of the 26 species has been analyzed for swainsonine using modern instrumentation such as gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. To provide clarification, 248 specimens representing 41 Swainsona species were screened for swainsonine using both liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Swainsonine was detected in 9 of the 41 Swainsona species. Eight of the swainsonine-positive taxa had not been determined to contain swainsonine previously using liquid or gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The list of swainsonine-containing taxa reported here will serve as a reference for risk assessment and diagnostic purposes.