Interaction between the three frequently co-occurring Fusarium mycotoxins in rats.

To test the complex, acute biochemical effects of combined, naturally co-occurring fusariotoxins, a 5-day rat study was performed. Mycotoxin treatment was invented by intraperitoneal injection: FB1 (F): 9 mu g/animal/day (approx. 30 mu g/kg bw/day), DON (D): 16.5 mu g/animal/day (approx. 55 mu g/kg bw/day) and ZEN (Z): 12.75 mu g/animal/day (approx. 42.5 mu g/kg bw/day). The binary groups (FB1 and DON [FD], FB1 and ZEN [FZ] and DON and ZEN [DZ]) as well as the ternary (FB1, DON and ZEN [FDZ]) group were dosed at the same combined level as the individual mycotoxins. Body weight, feed intake and mortality were not affected by any of the treatments. FB1 and DON in combination (FD) increased the plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity synergistically (compared to the individual FB1 and DON). In the liver, both the total glutathione (GSH) and the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were increased (p < 0.05) by the binary FB1 and ZEN (FZ) and the DON and ZEN (DZ) groups as well as the ternary FB1, DON and ZEA group (FDZ) compared to the control. The GSH level of the ternary group was significantly increased compared to the FB1 group, whereas the GPx activity of the ternary group was significantly increased compared to all three the individual mycotoxin groups. The Bliss independence method revealed synergism between DON and ZEN (DZ), as well as FB1 and DON (FD) on liver GPx activity. None of the toxins alone or in combination exerted strong genotoxicity on lymphocytes, neither on the gross histopathological characteristics. However, even at these low levels acute exposure of more than one of these mycotoxins (FB1, DON and ZEN) affected metabolic and detoxification changes.