Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a serious neonatal disease characterized by a complete destruction of the extrahepatic tree. If unrecognized, the condition leads to liver failure. BA outbreaks were reported four times in newborn Australian livestock between 1964 and 2013. Epidemiologic data implied that these outbreaks were caused by environmental exposure to an unusual forage plant. Two similar isoflavonoids from Iresine herbstii have been reported. I. herbstii has been extracted and one isoflavonoid compound has been isolated by column chromatography, flash chromatography and HPLC. The presence of the compounds 2', 2, 5-trimethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyisoflavanone and 2',5- dimethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyisoflavone were confirmed. In addition, a similar isoflavonoid, biochanin A, was chemically modified by opening the isoflavonoid C-ring. The toxicities of all compounds were tested in a zebrafish bioassay of biliary function. This is part of our ongoing efforts to determine SAR characteristics of the toxic compound. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.)