Intoxicação por alcaloides pirrolizidínicos em ruminantes e equinos no Brasil / Poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids in ruminants and horses in Brazil

Casos de intoxicação por alcaloides pirrolizidínicos (APs) em ruminantes e equinos foram investigados retrospectivamente através do acesso aos arquivos de dois laboratórios de diagnóstico veterinário no Sul e Nordeste brasileiro. Os dados obtidos foram comparados com aqueles retirados da literatura concernentes a surtos dessa toxicose no Brasil, onde ela é associada com a ingestão de plantas que contêm APs dos gêneros Senecio, Crotalaria e Echium. Formas aguda e crônica da toxicose foram encontradas. A doença aguda foi observada em associação com a ingestão de Crotalaria retusa em ovinos e caprinos. C. retusa e Senecio spp. também foram responsáveis pela intoxicação crônica em bovinos, equinos e ovinos. A intoxicação por APs é uma importante causa de morte em animais pecuários no Brasil. Essa é a principal causa de morte em bovinos na região Central do Rio Grande do Sul e uma das principais causas de morte em equinos na Paraíba. A epidemiologia, os sinais clínicos, a patologia e a importância da intoxicação por APs são descritos e discutidos.

Cases of poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in ruminants and horses were surveilled retrospectively by accessing the files of two veterinary diagnostic laboratories in southern and northeastern Brazil. The data obtained were compared with those withdrawn from the literature and pertaining to outbreaks of the toxicosis in Brazil where it is associated with the ingestion of PAs-containing plants from the genera Senecio, Crotalaria and Echium. Acute and chronic forms of the toxicosis were encountered. Acute disease was observed in association with the ingestion of Crotalaria retusa in sheep and goats. C. retusa and Senecio spp. were also responsible for chronic poisoning in cattle, horses and sheep. PAs poisoning is an important cause of death in livestock in Brazil. It is the major cause of death in cattle in the Central region of Rio Grande do Sul and one of the major causes of death in horses in the state of Paraíba. The epidemiology, clinical signs, pathology, and importance of acute and chronic toxicoses are described and discussed.

Intoxicação por alcaloides pirrolizidínicos em ruminantes e equinos no Brasil / Poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids in ruminants and horses in Brazil

Casos de intoxicação por alcaloides pirrolizidínicos (APs) em ruminantes e equinos foram investigados retrospectivamente através do acesso aos arquivos de dois laboratórios de diagnóstico veterinário no Sul e Nordeste brasileiro. Os dados obtidos foram comparados com aqueles retirados da literatura concernentes a surtos dessa toxicose no Brasil, onde ela é associada com a ingestão de plantas que contêm APs dos gêneros Senecio, Crotalaria e Echium. Formas aguda e crônica da toxicose foram encontradas. A doença aguda foi observada em associação com a ingestão de Crotalaria retusa em ovinos e caprinos. C. retusa e Senecio spp. também foram responsáveis pela intoxicação crônica em bovinos, equinos e ovinos. A intoxicação por APs é uma importante causa de morte em animais pecuários no Brasil. Essa é a principal causa de morte em bovinos na região Central do Rio Grande do Sul e uma das principais causas de morte em equinos na Paraíba. A epidemiologia, os sinais clínicos, a patologia e a importância da intoxicação por APs são descritos e discutidos.(AU)

Cases of poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in ruminants and horses were surveilled retrospectively by accessing the files of two veterinary diagnostic laboratories in southern and northeastern Brazil. The data obtained were compared with those withdrawn from the literature and pertaining to outbreaks of the toxicosis in Brazil where it is associated with the ingestion of PAs-containing plants from the genera Senecio, Crotalaria and Echium. Acute and chronic forms of the toxicosis were encountered. Acute disease was observed in association with the ingestion of Crotalaria retusa in sheep and goats. C. retusa and Senecio spp. were also responsible for chronic poisoning in cattle, horses and sheep. PAs poisoning is an important cause of death in livestock in Brazil. It is the major cause of death in cattle in the Central region of Rio Grande do Sul and one of the major causes of death in horses in the state of Paraíba. The epidemiology, clinical signs, pathology, and importance of acute and chronic toxicoses are described and discussed.(AU)

Clastogenic effect of extracts obtained from Crotalaria retusa L. and Crotalaria mucronata Desv. on mouse bone marrow cells.

This work has evaluated the clastogenicity of six extracts (tea and aqueous extract of leaves, tea, aqueous and methanolic extracts of dried fruit, and tea of unripe fruit) obtained from Crotalaria retusa L. and three extracts (tea and methanolic extract of dried fruit, and tea of unripe fruit) obtained from Crotalaria mucronata Desv. The extracts were injected intraperitoneally into mice, and the animals were killed 24 h after treatment for preparation of bone marrow cells. The extracts obtained from fruits of Crotalaria retusa were found to cause a dose-dependent increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in mice. On the other hand, no statistically significant increase in the frequency of aberrant cells was observed for the animals treated with leaf extracts obtained from Crotalaria retusa and with extracts from fruits of Crotalaria mucronata. The possibility that the pyrrolizidine alkaloid, monocrotaline, present in Crotalaria retusa exerts a clastogenic effect on mouse bone marrow cells is discussed. Our conclusion is based on studies using intraperitoneal treatments. Effects of oral exposure to extracts of Crotalaria retusa are unknown.

Herbal teas and toxins: novel aspects of pyrrolizidine poisoning in the United States

This article reviews the discovery of pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning in United States caused by the drinking of herbal tea and describes some of the difficulties involved in establishing a causal relationship between exposure to these alkaloids and the delayed appearance of toxic symptoms. In addition, some of the more general problems presented by the widespread use of herbs in various forms are addressed. First, however, a brief overview is given of the toxicity of this class of alkaloids. (AU)