Cyanide, protein and iodine interactions in the performance, metabolism and pathology of pigs

Histological analysis of femoral bones in rabbits administered by amygdalin

Cyanogenic glycosides are present in several economically important plant foods. Amygdalin, one of the most common cyanoglucoside, can be found abundantly in the seeds of apples, bitter almonds, apricots, peaches, various beans, cereals, cassava and sorghum. Amygdalin has been used for the treatment of cancer, it shows killing effects on cancer cells by release of cyanide. However, its effect on bone structure has not been investigated to date. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine a possible effect of amygdalin application on femoral bone microstructure in adult rabbits. Four month old rabbits were randomly divided into two groups of three animals each. Rabbits from E group received amygdalin intramuscularly at a dose 0.6 mg.kg-1 body weight (bw) (group E, n = 3) one time per day during 28 days. The second group of rabbits without amygdalin supplementation served as a control (group C, n = 3). After 28 days, histological structure of femoral bones in both groups of rabbits was analysed and compared. Rabbits from E group displayed different microstructure in middle part of the compact bone and near endosteal bone surface. For endosteal border, an absence of the primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue was typical. This part of the bone was formed by irregular Haversian and/or by dense Haversian bone tissues. In the middle part of substantia compacta, primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue was observed. Cortical bone thickness did not change between rabbits from E and C groups. However, rabbits from E group had a significantly lower values of primary osteons' vascular canals and secondary osteons as compared to the C group. On the other hand, all measured parameters of Haversian canals did not differ between rabbits from both groups. Our results demonstrate that intramuscular application of amygdalin at the dose used in our study affects femoral bone microstructure in rabbits.

Rhodanese distribution in porcine (Sus scrofa) tissues

The enzyme rhodanese (thiosulfate/cyanide sulfurtransferase) is an ubiquitous enzyme and its activity is present in all living organisms from bacteria to man. Evidence has been accumulated to indicate that this enzyme plays a central role in cyanide detoxification. A comparison was made of rhodanese activity in different tissues of young male and adult male and female pig (Sus scrofa). The highest activity of rhodanese was in liver and kidney cortex of all animals. Among the remaining tissues examined, the kidney medulla and the stomach epithelium tended to have higher levels than other tissues, although this was not significant (P>0.05). The rhodanese activity of heart ventricle tissue of 6-month-old male animals was higher than 7-week-old male animals (P<0.05), and 6-month-old male animals had higher rhodanese activity in lung tissue, compared to 6-month-old female pigs (P<0.05). Medulla and spleen of younger male animals exhibited higher levels of activity (P<0.10) compared to older male pigs. The results of this study may indicate the involvement of rhodanese in cyanide detoxification in pig tissues, which have greater potential to be exposed to higher levels of cyanide.

Comparison of the effects of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) organic cyanide and inorganic cyanide on muscle and bone development in a Nigerian breed of dog

Effects of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)-borne organic cyanide and inorganic cyanide in the form of sodium cyanide on bone and muscle development were investigated in eighteen dogs of Nigerian breed. After 16 weeks of stabilization in the laboratory from the time of purchase when the dogs were fed on the same diet, they were randomly assigned to three experimental groups of six dogs each. The control group was fed on rice while the other two groups were fed on either cassava (gari) or rice plus cyanide. The three diets were made isoenergetic and isonitrogenous by varying the quantity of meat incorporated into them. The results obtained after 14 weeks of feeding the respective diets indicated that there was retardation of muscle development in the gari-fed dogs. This may have resulted from gluconeogenesis from muscle protein associated with suppression of production of insulin by the pancreas in this group. The results indicated also that the effects of inorganic dietary cyanides on muscle development were different. Both forms of dietary cyanides, however, had no adverse effect on bone development.

Serum and tissue thiocyanate concentrations in growing pigs fed cassava peel or corn based diets containing graded protein levels

Thiocyanate concentrations of serum, liver, kidney, spleen and longissimus dorsi were determined in 64 growing Large White x Landrace pigs offered 8 experimental isocaloric diets containing different levels of cassava peel and crude protein. Cassava peel increased serum thiocyanate on day 60 (P less than 0.01) and day 90 (P less than 0.01) of the trial, while the crude protein level increased it (P less than 0.05) on days 30 and 90, respectively. Interaction of the two factors was significant on day 30 (P less than 0.05) and day 90 (P less than 0.05). There was a correlation between cyanide intake and serum thiocyanate level. Coefficient of determination revealed that cyanide alone accounted for 28.5; 60.6 and 48.8% variation in serum thiocyanate on days 30, 60 and 90, respectively. Liver, spleen and longissimus dorsi thiocyanate were affected by dietary protein intake (P less than 0.05). Thiocyanate concentration was higher (P less than 0.05) on cassava peel diet. Generally, crude protein at 5% reduced organ and muscle thiocyanate concentrations. A diet containing 112.2-117.3 mg/kg hydrocyanic acid (HCN) affected serum but not organ and muscle thiocyanate in protein-sufficient diets.