Malformations in hatched chicks were produced by direct application of 1-2 mg of cyclopamine to the embryonic shield of windowed chicken eggs. This showed that maternal metabolic alteration of cyclopamine was not necessary. /Cyclopamine/
Several species of the Veratrum genus are associated with toxicity in humans and animals. The principal toxins are steroid alkaloids; some have a modified steroid template, whereas others differ in their esterified acid moieties. These alkaloids act by increasing the permeability of the sodium channels of nerve cells, causing them to fire continuously. Increased stimulation, associated with the vagal nerve results in a reflex that causes the triad of responses known as the Bezold-Jarisch reflex: hypotension, bradycardia and apnea. Clinically, various Veratrum extracts were marketed for use as antihypertensive drugs, but because of their narrow therapeutic index were withdrawn from the market. Following the ingestion of Veratrum alkaloids, expected signs and symptoms include vomiting and abdominal pain, followed by cardiovascular effects such as bradycardia, hypotension and cardiac conduction abnormalities and death. Similar symptoms arise in other mammalian species ingesting these alkaloids; teratogenic effects may occur to the fetuses of animals that have grazed on Veratrum californicum. Treatment consists of supportive care, with an emphasis on hemodynamic stability with fluid replacement, atropine and vasopressors. The onset of symptoms occurs between 30 minutes and 4 hours, and the duration of the illness can range from 1 to 10 days; however, with prompt supportive care, patients typically make a full recovery within 24 hours.
...CYCLOPIA AND RELATED CONGENITAL DEFORMITIES IN SHEEP WERE COMMON IN IDAHO. ... DEVIATIONS FROM NORMAL INCLUDED A SINGLE OR DOUBLE GLOBE CYCLOPIA AND SHORTENED UPPER JAW AND PROTRUDING AND CURVED LOWER JAW, OCCASIONALLY WITH ...SKIN-COVERED PROBOSCIS ABOVE THE SINGLE EYE. ... VERATRUM CALIFORNICUM CAUSED THE CONDITION WHEN PREGNANT EWES INGESTED IT ON GESTATION DAY 14. ... A NUMBER OF VERATRUM ALKALOIDS WERE TESTED IN PREGNANT SHEEP FOR TERATOGENICITY. ...CYCLOPOSINE PRODUCED DEFORMITIES SIMILAR TO NATURAL CASES.
THE FALSE HELLEBORES, INCL VERATRUM ALBUM, V VIRIDE & V CALIFORNICUM, CONTAIN VARIETY OF ALKALOIDS HAVING SIMILAR PROPERTIES TO THE COMMERCIAL PRODUCT, VERATRINE... THE RHIZOME OF V ALBUM (WHITE HELLEBORE) IS SAID...TO CONTAIN...PROTOVERATRINE, TOGETHER WITH...JERVINE, RUBIJERVINE, PSEUDOJERVINE, VERATROIDINE & VERATRALBINE. SIGNS OF POISONING WITH VERATRINE & RELATED ALKALOIDS ARE SALIVATION, PURGATION, VOMITING (EVEN IN THE COW), DIURESIS, EXCITABILITY FOLLOWED BY PROSTRATION, WEAK & IRREGULAR PULSE, DEEP & SLOW RESPIRATIONS, & DEATH IN CONVULSIONS OR CONSEQUENT UPON PARALYSIS. /VERATRINE & RELATED ALKALOIDS/
GOLDEN HAMSTER FETUSES WERE EXTREMELY SENSITIVE TO THE TERATOGENIC ACTION OF JERVINE. CEBOCEPHALY, HARELIP/CLEFT PALATE, EXENCEPHALY AND A CRANIAL BLEB WERE PRODUCED BY DOSING ON THE 7TH DAY OF GESTATION. SPRAGUE-DAWLEY DERIVED ALBINO RATS WERE NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO JERVINE; SWISS WEBSTER MICE WERE RESISTANT TOO. /JERVINE/
1-2 mg jervine applied to windowed chick eggs at 14-18 hr incubation produced 30-60% head abnormalities: cyclopia, cebocephaly, microphthalmia, hydrocephalus, meningocele, and encephalocele. Similar doses at 30-40 hr produced 30-56% trunk and limb abnormalities: amelia, hemimelia, lordosis, and rachischisis. In sheep, intrauterine injection of 1-2 mg at 12, 16, and 20 days produced hemimelia, agenesia of portions of the trunk and gross abnormalities of the entire embryo. /Jervine/
