Salinomycin

Description:

A monocarboxylic polyether antibiotic

Fermentation of Streptomyces albus

Ionophoric activity, principally monovalent cations (potassium, sodium, rubidium and lithium), are bound complexly and are channelled into the cells. This results in the ion concentrations being disturbed, which in turn leads to the damage and finally destruction of the cell.

Protein binding: (in Vitro)- 19.78% 

Toxicity:

Narrow therapeutic index.
Broiler chickens LD50 44.5 mg/kg BW (Orally);
Turkey LD50 0.6 mg/kg BW;
Mouse LD50 57.4 mg/kg BW;

Horse Maximum tolerable dose 0.2 mg/kg BW (Orally); Ingestion of salinomycin by horses has been fatal.

Very toxic to turkeys. Salinomycin toxicity in turkeys has been reported on numerous occasions. Do not feed to turkeys. 
Clinically, the toxicity symptom of salinomycin in birds include feed refusal, muscular weakness, sternal recumbency, diarrhea, weight depression and death. Histopathologically, salinomycin induces severe myocardial and skeletal muscle lesions showing myocardial hyperemia, myocardial fiber degeneration and myocardial mitochondria damage. In cases of higher mortality, histopathology of skeletal muscles showed severe muscle degeneration and necrosis with myocardial fragmentation, oedema and fat infiltration, suggesting cardiac failure is probably related to animal death. 

If laying hens erroneously receive rations containing salinomycin, detectable residues appear in the egg yolk, whilst almost no salinomycin is detectable in the egg white.