Studies on the Toxicity of Indigofera Endecaphylla

Hepatotoxicosis in dogs consuming a diet of camel meat contaminated with indospicine

“…Indospicine is a toxic amino acid that was first isolated and identified 13 from the seed and leaf of I. spicata , after a species cited as I. endecaphylla (then thought to be synonymous with I. spicata 14 ) was demonstrated to be hepatotoxic to cattle, sheep, rabbits and mice 10,15,16 . Further experimental work demonstrated hepatotoxicosis in rats and mice following oral or parenteral administration of purified indospicine 17–19 .…”

“…Indospicine is a toxic amino acid that was first isolated and identified 13 from the seed and leaf of I. spicata, after a species cited as I. endecaphylla (then thought to be synonymous with I. spicata 14 ) was demonstrated to be hepatotoxic to cattle, sheep, rabbits and mice. 10,15,16 Further experimental work demonstrated hepatotoxicosis in rats and mice following oral or parenteral administration of purified indospicine. [17][18][19] Very similar in structure to the essential amino acid arginine, indospicine is not metabolised by arginase and has been shown to competitively block the incorporation of arginine, and subsequently other amino acids, into rat liver protein.…”

“…An additional 15 dogs (dogs [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] were identified from clinical records as having also eaten the diet and their serum biochemistry (ALP, ALT, cholesterol and albumin) was determined. Dogs 5,7,8,11,12,15 and 19 had ceased the diet between 4 and 13 days before blood samples were collected ( Table 1).…”

The Occurrence and Toxicity of Indospicine to Grazing Animals

“…Additionally some Indigofera species contain 3-nitropropanoic acid (3-NPA), present in the plant material as glucose esters. Independent rat trials demonstrated that 3-NPA is a neurotoxin and does not cause the hepatotoxic effects linked with indospicine [41]. Horses (but not ruminants) develop a neurological syndrome thought to be related to 3-NPA effects as discussed below.…”

Hepatotoxicity of Foods: A Consideration of the Hepatotoxicity of a Few Phanerogams and Cryptograms; Their Possible Influence in the Pathogenesis of Cirrhosis and Hepatoma*,†

“…8 Another legume, Indigofera endecaphylla (a species of indigo), grows in many tropical countries and was thought at first to be a potentially useful pasture plant, but was soon found to be toxic to rabbits, cows, and sheep. 9 Both seeds and leaf are reported toxic to the liver.…”