Indospicine, a hepatotoxic arginine analog, occurs in leguminous plants of the Indigofera genus and accumulates in the tissues of grazing animals that consume these plants. Furthermore, indospicine has caused toxicity in dogs following consumption of indospicine-contaminated meat; however, the potential impact on human health is unknown. The present study was designed to determine the effect of simulated human gastrointestinal digestion on the release and degradation of indospicine from contaminated camel meat following microwave cooking. Results showed no significant (p > 0.05) indospicine degradation during cooking or in vitro digestion. However, approximately 70% indospicine was released from the meat matrix into the liquid digesta during the gastric phase (in the presence of pepsin) and increased to >90% in the intestinal phase (with pancreatic enzymes). Following human consumption of contaminated meat, this soluble and more bioaccessible fraction of intact indospicine could be readily available for absorption by the small intestine, potentially circulating indospicine throughout the human body to tissues where it could accumulate and cause detrimental toxic effects.
Keywords: hepatotoxicity; human; in vitro digestion; indospicine; meat.