Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin produced by various Fusarium strains, that is present in food and feed raw materials worldwide, causing toxicity effects in animals and humans. This research aimed to explore the toxicokinetics of ZEN on female Dezhou donkeys following a single oral exposure dosage of 2 mg/kg BW (body weight). The sample collection of donkeys plasma was carried out at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90 min, 2 h, 2.5 h, 3 h, 3.5 h, 4 h, 4.5 h, 6 h, 9 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h and 120 h via intravenous catheter, and fecal and urinary samples were severally collected at 0 h and every 6 h until 120 h. The concentrations of ZEN, α-zearalenol (α-ZOL), β-zearalenol (β-ZOL), α-zearalanol (α-ZAL), β-zearalanol (β-ZAL), zearalanone (ZAN) in plasma, urine, and feces were detected by UPLC-MS/MS. Only ZEN was detected in plasma, and the maximum was 15.34 ± 5.12 µg/L occurred at 0.48 h after gavage. The total plasma clearance (Cl) of ZEN was 95.20 ± 8.01 L·kg·BW⁻¹·h⁻¹. In addition, the volume of distribution (Vd) was up to 216.17 ± 58.71 L/kg. The percentage of total ZEN (ZEN plus the main metabolites) excretion in feces and urine was 2.49% and 2.10%, respectively. In summary, ZEN was fast absorbed and relatively slowly excreted in female donkeys during 120 h after a single gavage, indicating a trend of wider tissue distribution and longer tissue persistence.

Ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin commonly found in feedstuffs, is known for its detrimental effects on the kidneys and liver, posing significant health risks to animals and humans. This study investigated the toxicokinetics, excretion patterns, and milk transmission of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in lactating sows. The sows were administered a single oral dose of 500 μg/kg BW (body weight), followed by the systematic sampling of plasma, feces, urine, and milk. Plasma samples were collected at 0, 5, 15, and 30 min, and 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, 88, 96, and 120 h post administration. Feces samples were collected at 6 h intervals for the first 12 h, then at 12 h intervals until 120 h, while urine samples were collected at 6 h intervals up to 120 h. Milk samples were collected at 0, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h. The concentration of OTA and its primary metabolite OTα were quantitatively analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The results revealed that the peak plasma concentrations of OTA (920.25 ± 88.46 μg/L) were observed at 9 h following administration. The terminal elimination half-life was recorded at 78.47 ± 7.68 h, with a volume of distribution of 0.16 ± 0.003 L/kg. Moreover, this study documented the excretion of OTA and OTα across a span of 120 h, revealing that feces and urine accounted for 18.70 ± 0.04% and 8.40 ± 0.002% of the total intake amounts, respectively (calculated based on substance amounts). Furthermore, this experiment detected OTA residues in the milk of lactating sows, with the milk-to-plasma (M/P) ratio initially increasing from 0.06 to 0.46 within the first 24 h following OTA ingestion. These findings offer an exhaustive temporal analysis of OTA’s toxicokinetics in lactating sows, emphasizing its pervasive distribution and elimination through various bodily excreta.

A novel, sensitive, and robust LC-MS/MS method was developed and fully validated for the simultaneous determination of fumonisins (FB₁, FB₂, FB₃) and their hydrolyzed metabolites (HFB₁, HFB₂, HFB₃) in donkey plasma, urine, and feces—three critical matrices for toxicokinetic studies. Sample preparation was optimized for each matrix: salting-out assisted liquid–liquid extraction (SALLE) with perchloric acidification for urine and feces, and a dilute–evaporate–shoot (DES) approach for plasma. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a BEH C₁₈ column with water-ACN containing 0.5% formic acid. The method demonstrated excellent linearity (R² ≥ 0.99), acceptable accuracy (mean recoveries: 73.3–111.5%), and good precision (intra- and inter-day RSDs < 20%). The limits of quantification (LOQ) for FBs and HFBs were 0.1–0.15 μg/L in plasma, 1.0 μg/L in urine, and 60 μg/kg in feces. To our knowledge, this is the first reported method capable of quantifying this comprehensive panel of analytes across multiple biological matrices in donkeys, providing an essential tool for future exposure assessments and pharmacokinetic research in this species.

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is widely present in raw materials for food and feedstock, posing a significant threat to the health of humans and animals. This study explored the toxicokinetics of a single oral administration of AFB₁ at a dose of 100 µg·kg⁻¹ BW (body weight). Donkey blood samples were gathered at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, and 60 min and at 1.5 h, 2 h, 2.5 h, 3 h, 3.5 h, 4 h, 4.5 h, 6 h, 9 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, and 120 h through jugular vein sampling needles at intervals. Fecal and urinary samples were collected at 0 h and every 6 h thereafter until 120 h. The concentrations of AFB₁ and AFM₁ in plasma, urine, and feces were quantitatively analyzed using LC-MS/MS. The maximum concentrations of AFB₁ and AFM₁ in plasma were 13.10 ± 6.35 µg·L⁻¹ and 0.72 ± 0.33 µg·L⁻¹, occurring at 1.38 ± 0.89 h and 2.25 ± 1.57 h after oral administration, respectively. The AFB₁ and AFM₁ elimination half-lives (T_1/2Elim) were 6.65 ± 2.84 h and 5.85 ± 3.00 h, respectively. The total clearances (CL) of AFB₁ and AFM₁ were 163 ± 52.2 L·kg⁻¹ BW⁻¹·h⁻¹ and 3210 ± 2450 L·kg⁻¹ BW⁻¹·h⁻¹, and the volumes of distribution (Vd) for AFB₁ were 1440 ± 417 L·kg⁻¹·BW and 22,400 ± 14,800 L·kg⁻¹·BW, respectively. In addition, the total amounts of AFB₁ and AFM₁ excreted over 120 h through urine and feces accounted for 3.38 ± 0.92% and 3.44 ± 1.45% of the total intake, respectively (calculated by material mass). Furthermore, the research showed that the absorption and metabolism of AFB₁ were rapid in male donkeys, with the tissue exhibiting a wide distribution and long duration.