12 experimental
vaccines were prepared to compare the
irritant and adjuvant activity in cattle of 6 commercial
saponin preparations and their hemolytic fractions. It is still not known if a single substance is responsible for the
irritant, adjuvant and hemolytic activities of the
saponin preparations. The quantities of
saponin added were standardised on the base of a constant hemolytic activity rather than on a weight of
powder per dose of
vaccine base. A FMD
vaccine was used to reveal the adjuvant activity. It was concluded that the irritation is related to the hemolytic activity and not to the weight of
powder. Irritation is slightly reduced when a toxic effect appears. The adjuvant activity was higher for untreated
saponin preparations with high hemolytic activity used at low dose and for one of the chromatographic
saponin fractions. The adjuvant activity is reduced when toxic effect appear. Toxicity of less hemolytic
saponins used at high dose is removed by chromatography. Highly hemolytic
saponins used at low dose become toxic after chromatographic treatment.