AN ATTEMPT TO REPRODUCE CRYSTAL-ASSOCIATED CHOLANGITIS IN LAMBS BY THE EXPERIMENTAL DOSING OF SARSASAPOGENIN OR DIOSGENIN ALONE AND IN COMBINATION WITH SPORIDESMIN

No liver damage occurred in a group of 21 lambs dosed intraruminally w ith up to 9 g of sarsasapogenin or diosgenin daily for 10 consecutive days. In contrast, seven out of 15 lambs dosed with 0.1 mg of sporides min/kg liveweight in combination with sarsasapogenin and three out of six lambs dosed with sporidesmin in combination with diosgenin develop ed liver lesions. These were typical of those induced by sporidesmin. One lamb dosed with sporidesmin in combination with 9 g of diosgenin d eveloped a crystal-associated cholangitis typical of Panicum intoxicat ion and alveld. No sapogenins were detected in urine by gas chromatogr aphy-mass spectrometry. The results suggest that orally administered s arsasapogenin and diosgenin are either not hepatotoxic per se or are t oo poorly absorbed to elicit a toxic response. The results provide onl y weak evidence that sporidesmin may be involved in the aetiology of P anicum intoxication.