DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY OF PURIFIED FUMONISIN B-1 IN PREGNANT SYRIAN-HAMSTERS

The purpose of this study was to characterize the developmental toxici ty of fumonisin B-1 (FB1), a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium moniliform e, on fetal Syrian hamsters, Fusarium moniliforme has been associated with a variety of diseases in animals and esophageal cancer in humans, Purified FB1 causes leukoencephalomalacia in horses and is hepatocarc inogenic in rats. Fumonisin B-1 has been associated with fetal toxicit y in rats and mice and has been suggested to be involved in reproducti ve failure in pregnant sows. Results from a preliminary developmental toxicity study using an aqueous extract of F, moniliforme corn-culture material in hamsters suggested that FB1 was a developmental toxicant, These results were verified using purified FB1, Six groups of ten tim e-mated female Syrian hamsters were dosed with 0.0-18 mg kg(-1) day(-1 ) of FB1 by gavage on days 8-12 of gestation and euthanized on day 15, Live fetuses were weighed and examined for gross external and interna l abnormalities and skeletal anomalies, Purified fumonisin B-1 was sho wn to cause dose-dependent fetal death and delayed fetal development w ithout causing fetal abnormalities. (C) 1998 John Wiley gr Sons, Ltd.