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Year 1997 - Volume 17, Number 1
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Cross-immunity by the seeds of Abrus precatorius and Ricinus communis in cattle, 17(1):25-35
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ABSTRACT.- Tokarnia C.H. & Döbereiner J. 1997. [Cross-immunity by the seeds of Abrus precatorius and Ricinus communis in cattle.] Imunidade cruzada pelas sementes de Abrus precatorius e Ricinus communis em bovinos. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 17(1):25-35. Projeto Saúde Animal Embrapa /UFRRJ, Km 47, Seropédica, RJ 23851-970, Brazil.
Five bovines immunized against the toxicity of the seeds of Abrus precatorius L. (jequiriti bean) did not get poisoned or only slightly so when the seeds of Ricinus communis L. (castor bean) were given in amounts that in bovines, which never before ingested the seeds of A. precatorius or R. communis, caused moderate to severe poisoning or even death. A sixth bovine, which was not well immunized against the toxic action of the seeds of A. precatorius, was severely poisoned when given a high dose of the seeds of R. communis. On the other side, from five bovines immunized against the toxic action of the seeds of R. communis four were everely poisoned and the fifth one moderately when the seeds of A. prectitorius were given in doses that in bovines, which never before ingested seeds of R. communis or A. precatorius, caused slight to severe poisoning. It is concluded that bovines immunized against the toxic action of the seeds of A. precatorius are resistant to the toxic action of the seeds of R. com munis, but that the contrary is not the case; this is, bovines immunized against the toxic action of the seeds of R. communis were not protected against the poisoning by A. precatorius. Earlier studies by other authors had shown that the toxalbumins of the seeds of A. Precatorius and R. communis, respectively abrin and ricin, are different as to their antigenic properties. A possible explanation for the difference in results can be.that in the present study polygastric animals were used which received the seeds orally, but in the earlier studies monogastric animals received the seeds or toxins by parenteral route. The administration of the fresh leaves or the pericarp of the fruits R. communis to bovines, which had been immunized against the action of the seeds of the plant, had the sarne toxic effect as to not immunized animals, showing that the immunity due to ricin does not give protection against the action of ricinin, the toxic principie of the leaves and the pericarp. |
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