Neoxaline

Neoxaline is a mycotoxin produced by certain species of fungi, notably Aspergillus and Penicillium. It is a tremorgenic toxin, meaning that it can induce tremors and neurological effects in animals that ingest it.

Neoxaline is a complex indole alkaloid. Its production by fungi is often associated with the contamination of foodstuffs, particularly grains and animal feed. The presence of neoxaline in feed can lead to a condition known as "moldy feed toxicosis" or "staggers" in livestock, characterized by tremors, incoordination, and potentially convulsions.

The toxicity of neoxaline varies depending on the animal species and the dose ingested. While less potent than some other tremorgenic mycotoxins, such as penitrem A, neoxaline still poses a risk to animal health and can lead to economic losses for farmers.

Research on neoxaline continues to investigate its biosynthetic pathways, mechanisms of toxicity, and methods for its detection and detoxification in contaminated food and feed. Methods for detection include chromatographic techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry.