OBJECTIVE

To validate the use of para-aminohippuric acid (PAH) as a marker for measuring blood flow in wethers consuming a mixed diet of locoweed and blue grama hay.

METHODS

Fourteen sheep, stratified by bodyweight (BW), were assigned to one of three treatments: 0.8 mg swainsonine (SW)/kg BW (HI), 0.2 mg SW/kg BW (LO), and no SW (Control). Sheep were fed various ratios of locoweed and blue grama hay to deliver SW treatments, for 28 days prior to infusion of PAH. Concentrations of SW and activities of alkaline phosphatase (Alk-P) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum were measured to confirm exposure to SW and subclinical intoxication. A single 20-ml injection of 5% PAH was delivered into the jugular vein after subclinical intoxication had been achieved. Blood samples were collected and serum analysed for PAH immediately prior to injection, then every 5 min from 5-30 min, and every 10 min from 30-60 min, following injection of PAH.

RESULTS

Effective delivery of SW was evident from the greater concentrations of SW measured in the serum of HI compared with LO animals (p<0.05). No significant differences were detected in the rate of elimination (range 0.097-0.108 L/min), elimination half-life (range 6.62-7.24 min), apparent volume of distribution for the central compartment (range 7.14-9.72 L), and clearance (range 0.73-0.92 L/min) of PAH, between treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Subclinical intoxication with SW did not affect the pharmacokinetics of PAH. Thus, use of downstream dilution of PAH is a valid method to determine the rate of blood flow in nutrient flux experiments that involve consumption of locoweed.