Carlos Hubinger Tokarnia

Poisonous plants affecting livestock in Brazil

Plant poisoning, together with rabies and botulism, are the main causes of death in adult cattle in Brazil. Estimates indicate that about one million head of cattle die annually through plant poisoning in this country. There are approximately 75 plants of practical importance to animal husbandry that have had their toxicity confirmed by experiments with the animal species affected under natural conditions. The great majority of these plants only occur in Brazil and neighbouring countries. A few of them are forage plants that can become toxic under certain conditions. In this review the poisonous plants of interest to animal husbandry of Brazil are divided according to the clinical-pathological picture they cause in cattle; only cyanogenic plants, plants that cause nitrate/nitrite poisoning and the ones that cause oxalate poisoning, are grouped according to their toxic principles. Plants and their toxic principles, or of which possible toxic compounds have been isolated, are listed.

Spontaneous and Experimental Glycoprotein Storage Disease of Goats Induced by Ipomoea carnea subsp fistulosa (Convolvulaceae)

Spontaneous and experimental poisoning with the swainsonine-containing and calystegine-containing plant Ipomoea carnea subsp fistulosa is described. Three of 8 goats presenting with emaciation, weakness, symmetrical ataxia, posterior paresis, proprioceptive deficits, abnormal posture, abnormal postural reaction, and muscle hypertonia were necropsied. I fistulosa was suspected to be the cause of the neurologic disease in all cases. An experiment was conducted to confirm the diagnosis using 12 goats and diets containing 3 different concentrations of the plant. All goats fed I fistulosa developed neurological signs that were similar to those observed in the spontaneous intoxication. Muscle atrophy and pallor were the only macroscopic changes observed in spontaneous and in experimental intoxication. Histological lesions of spontaneous and experimental animals were similar. The most prominent lesion was cytoplasmic vacuolation in neurons of the central and the autonomous nervous system, pancreatic acinar cells, hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, follicular epithelial cells of the thyroid gland, and macrophages of the lymphatic tissues. Neuronal necrosis, axonal spheroids formation, and astrogliosis were additionally observed in the brain. Ultrastructurally, the cytoplasmic vacuoles consisted of distended lysosomes surrounded by a single-layered membrane. Nonreduced end-rests or sequence of α-Man, α-Glc, β(1–4)-GlcNAc, and NeuNAc on lysosomal membrane were revealed by lectin histochemistry. Samples of plants used in the experimental trial contained swainsonine and calystegine and their intermediary derivate. We conclude that I fistulosa induces a glycoprotein storage disease primarily based on the inhibition of the lysosomal α-mannosidase by the alkaloid swainsonine.

Macrocyclic trichothecenes: Cause of livestock poisoning by the Brazilian plant Baccharis coridifolia

Nine macrocyclic trichothecenes, thought to cause toxic effects in herbivors, were isolated from the Brazilian shrub Baccharis coridifolia. The structures of two new components, named miophytocene A and B, are described. Structure analysis was mainly accomplished by application of two-dimensional Fourier transform NMR techniques. The trichothecenes are most likely produced by the soil fungus Myrothecium verrucaria, which was isolated from soil samples around B. coridifolia. It is concluded that the plant is able to absorb and accumulate these mycotoxins. Histopathological studies on rabbits which received roridin E and A per os revealed mainly necrosis and hemorrhages of the mucosa of the colon and in the case of roridin A also of the caecum. Lethality in mice was generally low, intoxication proceeding slowly. It has to be considered, however, that all trichothecenes tested are practically insoluble in aqueous solutions and were applied as emulsions (i.p. and per os application). No trichothecenes or other toxic substances were detected from the Brazilian species Baccharis dracunculifolia, although slight toxic effects have been reported in cattle.

Estudos histológico, histoquímico e ultra-estrutural de fígados e linfonodos de bovinos com presença de macrófagos espumosos ("foam cells")

Samples of liver, kidney, spleen, and hepatic, mesenteric, retromandibular, prescapular and mediastinic lymph nodes, collected from 12 groups of cattle of different ages from the State of Mato Grosso, were studied. A total of 120 bovines was examined. According to their history, the animals were kept in pastures where Brachiaria decumbens and Brachiaria brizantha were the predominant plants. Grossly there was a yellowish liver which was more evident after 24 hr. fixation with formalin. Hepatic and mesenteric lymph nodes had normal size, however, on the cut surface there were whitish grooves, extending from the cortex to the medular, and multiple small white nodular areas in the medular. Beside these areas there were red, sometimes hemorrhagic, foci. Microscopically all animals had cells with foamy citoplasm in the liver and in the hepatic and mesenteric lymph nodes, often forming multinucleated cells. In the lymph nodes these infiltrates were adjacent to necrotic, hemorrhagic areas. In the liver the foamy cells were irregularly disseminated throughout the parenchyma or formed nodules around the central vein. These cells did not stain with PAS but weakly with oil red. Ultrastructurally foamy cells and hepatocytes showed negative images of crystals involved partially or totally by membranes. Mediastinic, retromandibular and prescapular lymph nodes of the same animals showed no gross and microscopic alterations.

Fotossensibilização hepatógena em eqüinos pela ingestão de Brachiaria humidicola (Gramineae) no Estado do Pará

Data on the clinical-pathological aspects and on the epidemioloy of a disease in horses, characterized by phototsensitization, which occurs in northeastern of Para, Brazil, are presented. Of a total of 40 horses examined clinically, post-mortem examination was performed on seven. Due to the characteristic lesions found on the non-pigmented skin, the macroscopic and histological alterations in the liver, and knowing that Brachiaria grasses contain saponins with toxic properties, which cause liver lesions and photosensitization in cattle and sheep, it is concluded that this disease in horses is caused by grassing exclusively Brachiaria humidicola.

Livestock poisoning in South America by species of the Senecio plant

The pyrrolizidine alkaloids retrorsine, senecionine, integerrimine, neosenkirkine and florosenine were isolated from different Senecio spp. common in southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Structure elucidation of these compounds was mainly accomplished by two-dimensional FT NMR techniques. Detailed interpretations of 1H-1H and 1H-13C NMR correlation spectra are given. The alkaloids neosenkirkine, integerrimine and florosenine were found in Senecio leptolobus De Candolle, retrorsine accompanied by senecionine in Senecio selloi (Spreng.) DC and Senecio cisplatinus Cabrera. In Senecio heterotrichus DC. integerrimine is accompanied by retrorsine. Investigations on pathology and histopathology of Senecio envenomation in Brazil are summarized.

Princípios de suplementação mineral em ruminantes

Muito embora ja haja um solido conhecimento sobre as deficiencias minerais e suas consequencias para a saude e a produtividade dos bovinos no Brasil, paradoxalmente, essas informacoes, na maioria das vezes, nao vem sendo empregadas pelos profissionais das ciencias agrarias, que persistem em estimular o uso generalizado das misturas minerais ditas completas. A deficiencia de diversos minerais incluidos nestes suplementos, como ferro, cromo, enxofre, entre outros, nao ocorre sob condicoes naturais ou so existe em raras situacoes muito particulares. O presente topico aborda os equivocos e problemas relacionados com a suplementacao mineral tradicionalmente feita e discute os principais aspectos da denominada suplementacao mineral seletiva, que e fundamentada no fornecimento exclusivo do(s) mineral(is) deficiente(s) e na(s) quantidade(s) necessaria(s). Essa alternativa pode permitir uma economia expressiva (por vezes, de ate 700%) em relacao a suplementacao mineral comercial normalmente utilizada. De acordo com diversas estimativas, a suplementacao mineral pode constituir de 20 a 30 % dos custos totais de producao de gado de corte criados em pastagens, dai a importância de diminuir esses gastos. Um ensaio de reversao, no qual um grupo de animais recebe a mistura mineral comercial rotineiramente utilizada na propriedade e outro grupo, o suplemento seletivo, e a melhor opcao para discriminar os efeitos (positivos ou negativos) entre dois esquemas de suplementacao mineral para uma especifica fazenda. Por esse ensaio, investigam-se, racionalmente e por um longo periodo, os efeitos das duas opcoes de suplementacao mineral em teste, com minimo risco de perdas economicas.

Comparação da sensibilidade de bovinos e búfalos à intoxicação por Palicourea marcgravii (Rubiaceae)

In order to verify if buffaloes are more resistant than cattle to poisoning by Palicourea marcgravii, the plant was given per os simultaneously to buffaloes and cattle. Seven buffaloes and three head of cattle were used. Doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg did not cause signs of poisoning in buffaloes; but doses of 3.0, 4.0 and 6.0 g/kg caused death. In cattle 0.25 g/kg did not cause symptoms; but 0.5 and 2.0 g/kg were lethal. The influence of exercise on the onset of symptoms, the time which elapsed from the beginning of the administration of the plant to the appearance of symptoms, and the symptoms themselves, were similar in the two animal species. The clinical course was longer in buffaloes; whilst in cattle the period between the onset of severe symptoms and death lasted 9 to 17 minutes; in buffaloes it varied from 10 minutes to 1 hour 28 minutes. It can be concluded, that buffaloes are about six times more resistant than cattle to the toxic action of P. maracgravii. The lower incidence of deaths in buffaloes by poisonous plants in the Amazon region is, at least in part, due the lower sensibility of buffaloes to poisoning by this plant. Another factor responsible for the smaller number of buffaloes which die due to plant poisoning in the Amazon region, is possibly that buffaloes prefer the lowlands, e.g. temporarily flooded areas, which are the habitat of Arrabidaea bilabiata, the second most important poisonous plant of the Amazon region. This plant is less poisonous than P. marcgravii, and its habitat are the higher not flooded areas. So it would be safer, in order to diminish losses, to breed buffaloes instead of cattle in areas where P. marcgravii occurs. The reason for the greater resistance of buffaloes should be further investigated as a possible prophylactic measure to avoid poisoning by P. marcgravii in cattle. On the other hand, Australian investigators modified genetically the ruminal bacteria Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens by introducing a gene, isolated from a Moraxella sp, which codifies a dehalogenase, capable of hydrolyzing fluoroacetate, the poisonous principle of P. marcgravii. Transferring the genetically modified B. fibrisolvens into the rumen of animals, which consume plants that contain fluoroacetate, would be a viable method to control that poisoning through a ruminal detoxifying process for the toxin. Through preliminary contacts, the director of the consorcium in Australia, responsible for the modification of the bacteria, declared that he is interested to sell the technology to our country, but it would be necessary to know if it is permitted to introduce into Brazil the genetically modified bacteria. If allowed, it would be necessary to perform investigations on the viability and the methodology for using this bacteria to control P. marcgravii poisoning in our country.

Intoxicações experimental e natural por Ipomoea asarifolia (Convolvulaceae) em búfalos e outros ruminantes

Ipomoea asarifolia R. et Schult. is a plant responsible for occasional outbreaks of poisoning in cattle, sheep and goats. Its oral administration to cattle and buffalos showed that the buffalo is as susceptible as cattle. One to 4 daily doses of 10-20g/kg caused similar symptoms in both species, as incoordination, muscular twiching and swaying of the head and anterior part of the body (pendular movement). In buffaloes the signs of incoordination were observed to a smaller extent. There is no report yet on natural poisoning by I. asarifolia in buffaloes, possibly because cases are not being noticed.

Estudos experimentais com plantas cianogênicas em bovinos

These studies were performed in order to obtain additional data on Brazilian cyanogenic plants. Three animals, severely poisoned by Piptadenia macrocarpa (=Anadenanthera macrocarpa), recovered readily when treated intravenously with 660 mg/kg of sodium hyposulphite (sodium thiosulphate) plus 30 g dissolved in water given by stomach tube. Fresh leaves (in the sprouting phase), fed in October, were more poisonous than mature leaves fed in March. Dried leaves slowly lost their toxicity within a few months. Both the fresh and dried leaves of Piptadenia viridiflora showed similar toxic effects to P. macrocarpa. As this was also readily reversed by the administration of sodium hyposulphite in two animals, P. viridiflora can be included in the group of toxic cyanogenic plants. Four animals severely poisoned by the leaves of Holocalyx glaziovii (=Holocalyx balansae) also recovered readily after receiving sodium hyposulphite. The dried leaves of H. glaziovii also slowly lost their toxicity within a few months. Two animals severely poisoned by the leaves of Manihot glaziovii also recovered readily with sodium hyposulphite. However, dried leaves were no longer poisonous. The leaves of H. glaziovii and of M. glaziovii always gave a quick (in less than 5 minutes) positive reaction to the picrate test for cyanide. Those of P. macrocarpa and P. viridiflora reacted more slowly (after 15 and 10 to 30 minutes respectively) when in the sprouting stage, and even slower when the leaves were mature. The slower reactions seen with Piptadenia spp indicate a slower breakdown of the hidrocyanic glycosides and this also explains the longer course of poisoning seen in cattle fed these species. The dried leaves of Piptadenia spp and also of H. glaziovii gave slower reactions than the fresh leaves. These data permit the conclusion that the picrate test for cyanide is of relative value when evaluating the amount of cyanogenic glycosides in plants.