Subacute toxicity of the mycotoxin cyclopiazonic acid.

Cyclopiazonic acid (CA) is known to contaminate processed foods, maize and peanuts. Since previously available toxicity data were limited to the effects of single doses, Wistar-derived rats were given weekly doses of 0, 12 or 21 mg CA/kg body weight in 1 N-sodium bicarbonate, using a dosage volume of 2.5 ml/kg body weight, and subgroups of eight were killed 1 wk after doses 2, 5, 9 and 14. Males on the highest dose level showed mild growth retardation initially and 25% died suddenly during wk 4. No abnormal signs were observed in the surviving males or in any of the females throughout the 15 wk of the experiment. CA induced mild cellular degenerative changes in the myocardium and in several other organs where ballooning of nuclei, especially in ductal epithelia, was also characteristic. The changes were only weakly related to dose level, sex and the number of doses given. The findings suggest that CA is probably a metabolic inhibitor requiring considerable concentrations to exert toxicity. The limited data currently available do not elicit concern in terms of human risk or warrant any particular control procedures.