Neuropharmacological studies on Fusarium toxins-III: Neurochemical investigations on total toxin extracts from F. moniliforme and F. oxysporum.

ABSTRACT

Neurochemical effects of different fusarial toxins elaborated from F. moniliforme (FM) and F. oxysporum (FO) were investigated. FM showed significant nonspecific and irreversible monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition which was qualitatively comparable to that induced by nialamide, a nonselective MAO inhibitor. FO did not exhibit any significant MAO inhibitory effect. FM produced a dose related increase in monoamine concentrations (dopamine, noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine) in different rat brain areas namely, diencephalon-midbrain, caudate nucleus and pons-medulla. FO, on the contrary, produced marked increase in dopamine concentration in the caudate nucleus with concomitant reduction in noradrenaline levels in diencephalon-midbrain and pons-medulla with little effect on 5-HT concentration. The neurochemical effects of FM and FO are consonant with the earlier reports on the neuropharmacological profile of these toxins. Thus, FM was reported to have nialamide like activity, whereas FO actions were dopaminergic in nature.