TOXIC INTERACTION OF FUMONISIN B-1 AND FUSARIC ACID MEASURED BY INJECTION INTO FERTILE CHICKEN EGG

Toxic interactions of fusaric acid and fumonisin B-1, two mycotoxins p roduced by Fusarium moniliforme, were studied in the chicken embryo. T he yolk sacs of fertile White Leghorn eggs were injected before incuba tion with separate and combined solutions of either fusaric acid and o r fumonisin B-1. The toxins were administered in either a sterile 10 m M buffered phosphate solution, pH 6.90, which produced a final pH of 6 .6 +/- 0.2, or sterile distilled water. Toxicity was based on absence of egg pip at the end of the 21-day incubation period. Toxins administ ered in the phosphate buffer solution were more toxic than those admin istered in distilled water. When both toxins were combined in equal co ncentrations and injected into eggs, increased toxicity resulted. Fusa ric acid was shown to be a mild toxin to the eggs and when a relativel y nontoxic concentration of it was combined with graded doses of fumon isin B-1, a synergistic toxic response was obtained. Fusaric acid is o nly moderately toxic to the chicken egg, however its co-occurrence wit h other fusaria toxins found on corn and other cereals might present p ossible antagonisms or synergisms. The results of this egg model sugge st that fusaric acid might play a role in enhanced and unpredicted tox icity in mammalian systems if it is consumed with other mycotoxins.