Disposition of T-2 Toxin, a Trichothecene Mycotoxin, in Intravascularly Dosed Swine

Metabolite profiles in plasma and tissues of two swine were determined following intravascular administration of tritium-labeled T-2 toxin. The plasma elimination phase half-life was 90 min for total tritium residues. At 4-h postdosing (time of death), the greatest amount of radioactivity was located in the gastrointestinal tract (15.5 and 24.1% of the dose for the two swine). The remaining tissues accounted for 5.2 and 4.7% of the dose for the two swine. A total of 21 metabolites was identified by reversed-phase HPLC radiochromatography. Approximately 55% of the extractable radioactivity in the tissues and gastrointestinal tract of both swine corresponded to T-2 toxin, HT-2, deepoxy HT-2, T-2 triol, deepoxy T-2 triol, 3’-OH T-2, 3’-OH HT-2, T-2 tetraol, and deepoxy T-2 tetraol. The major metabolite in tissues, PM-XV, did not correspond to any standard and represented an additional 27% of the extractable radioactivity.