Toxicity of citreoviridin.

The mycotoxin citreoviridin (CIT) isolated from Penicillium citreoviride was studied to elucidate the mechanism of its toxic actions. In CF#1 mice, near lethal doses of CIT decreased motor activities, body temperature and had cataleptic effects. Male mice appeared to be more susceptible to CIT and had lower subcutaneous (sc) LD50 values and longer CIT-induced hypothermia and hypokinesia. In CIT-treated mice the weights and histology of liver, kidneys and adrenals were normal one week after sc treatment, except for the increased adrenal weights in female mice. Single doses of CIT (sc), given on either day 4 or 5 of pregnancy (perinidation period), had no adverse effect on the rates of pregnancy, implantation of ova and embryonal resorptions in those mice examined on day 12 of pregnancy. CIT (40 mg/kg ip) produced a brief electro-encephalographic (EEG) activation, cardiac sinus arrhythmias and tachypnea in the rabbit. Intravenous (iv) lethal doses of CIT (greater than or equal to 5 mg/kg) caused an EEG activation followed by high voltage delta waves, increased the T wave in the electrocardiogram (ECG) and depressed the respiratory amplitude. The death caused by iv CIT started with the respiratory arrest, followed by isoelectric EEG and ECG was the last to stop. In urethane-anesthetized rabbits CIT decreased the blood pressure, and in succession it lowered, flattened and inverted the T wave of ECG suggesting heart ischemia. These observations indicated that the toxic effects of CIT resulted from respiratory and cardiovascular failures (apnea, delta EEG waves, sinus arrhythmia, hypotension) leading to central nervous system depression due to systemic hypoxia.