-
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Nov 2020This review focuses on factors associated with mold production in feedstuffs and major mycotoxins affecting ruminants in North America. Ruminants are often considered... (Review)
Review
This review focuses on factors associated with mold production in feedstuffs and major mycotoxins affecting ruminants in North America. Ruminants are often considered less sensitive to mycotoxins owing to rumen microflora metabolism to less toxic compounds. However, ruminants occupy wide agricultural niches that expose animals to diverse toxins under widely different environmental and nutritional conditions. Often the moldy and potentially highly contaminated feeds end up at feedlots. Less than optimal feedstuffs creating suboptimal rumen microbial flora could result in decreased ruminal capacity to detoxify certain mycotoxins and adverse effects. Numerous mycotoxins and clinical effects in ruminants are discussed.
Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Crops, Agricultural; Mycotoxicosis; Mycotoxins; North America; Plant Diseases; Ruminants
PubMed: 33032704
DOI: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2020.08.011 -
Toxins May 2023Cases of ingestion of indoor poisonous plants are relatively common among animals and lead to both acute cases of poisoning and long-term exposure to harmful substances... (Review)
Review
Cases of ingestion of indoor poisonous plants are relatively common among animals and lead to both acute cases of poisoning and long-term exposure to harmful substances and chronic damage to the animal's health. Plants produce a large number of secondary metabolites, which serve to protect the plant from attacks by insects, parasitic plants, fungi or, for example, during reproduction. However, these metabolites can be toxic if ingested by animals or humans. Toxicologically effective components found in plants are mainly alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, terpenes and others. This review article describes in detail the most common and popular indoor poisonous plants grown in Europe, the mechanisms of action of their active substances and clinical signs of the respective poisonings. This manuscript is supplemented with rich photographic documentation of these plants not found in similar articles, and also includes a description of the treatment of individual types of poisoning.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Plant Poisoning; Plants, Toxic; Alkaloids; Glycosides; Saponins
PubMed: 37235380
DOI: 10.3390/toxins15050346 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Apr 2024Boxelder and sycamore maple contain hypoglycin A (HGA), the toxic metabolite of which, MCPA-CoA, inhibits fatty acid β-oxidation, causing seasonal pasture myopathy... (Review)
Review
Boxelder and sycamore maple contain hypoglycin A (HGA), the toxic metabolite of which, MCPA-CoA, inhibits fatty acid β-oxidation, causing seasonal pasture myopathy (SPM) or atypical myopathy (AM), respectively. White snakeroot and rayless goldenrod contain multiple benzofuran ketones (BFKs). The identity/toxicity of BFKs appear variable, possibly involving interactions between toxins/toxic metabolites, but ultimately inhibit cellular energy metabolism. Unthrifty horses grazing sparse pastures during the fall appear predisposed to these plant-associated, frequently fatal, toxic myopathies. Toxidromes are characterized by varying degrees of rhabdomyolysis and cardiac myonecrosis, with plant toxins remaining toxic in hay and being excreted in milk.
Topics: Animals; Horses; Myotoxicity; Plant Poisoning; Horse Diseases; Plants, Toxic; Muscular Diseases
PubMed: 38151404
DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2023.11.001 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Apr 2024Plants in the maple genus, Acer, and pistachio genus, Pistacia, have been reported to cause acute hemolysis in horses. The cause of hemolysis seems to be metabolism of... (Review)
Review
Plants in the maple genus, Acer, and pistachio genus, Pistacia, have been reported to cause acute hemolysis in horses. The cause of hemolysis seems to be metabolism of gallic acids to the potent oxidant pyrogallol by enteric bacteria of the horse. Diagnosis is often tentative and circumstantial. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive and can include detoxification, fluid and electrolyte therapy, supplemental oxygen, and pain control. Corticosteroid and antioxidant therapies do not improve prognosis. Prognosis is guarded to poor but horses that survive 6 days postexposure are expected to recover.
Topics: Horses; Animals; Pyrogallol; Hemolysis; Plant Poisoning; Horse Diseases; Gallic Acid
PubMed: 37923643
DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2023.10.001 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2023Humins, humic and fulvic acids represent molecules with complex structures. These compounds comprising humic substances (HS) exist naturally in soil, brown coal, peat,... (Review)
Review
Humins, humic and fulvic acids represent molecules with complex structures. These compounds comprising humic substances (HS) exist naturally in soil, brown coal, peat, and water. They are formed during the decomposition and transformation of organic matter (animal and plant remains) and their formation explains several theories. Within their chemical structures, there are numerous phenolic and carboxyl groups and their derivatives that affect their different properties, such as their solubility in water or their absorption of cations or mycotoxins. The manifold chemical structure of HS alters their polyelectrolyte character and thus their chelating efficiency. For many years, HS have been studied due to their detoxification, anti-, and pro-inflammatory or anticancer and antiviral ability. This article summarizes the antioxidant and adsorption properties of humic acids, highlighting their usefulness in intoxications.
PubMed: 37109500
DOI: 10.3390/life13040971 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Nov 2020In the western United States, poisonous plants most often affect grazing livestock, and the related livestock losses are estimated to cost the grazing livestock industry... (Review)
Review
In the western United States, poisonous plants most often affect grazing livestock, and the related livestock losses are estimated to cost the grazing livestock industry more than $200 million annually. Many of these toxic plants contain neurotoxins that damage or alter the function of neurologic cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The objectives of this article are to present common North American neurotoxic plants, including conditions of poisoning, clinical disease, pathologic changes, and available diagnostics, to identify poisoned animals and the potential prognosis for poisoned animals.
Topics: Animals; Livestock; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Neurotoxins; Plant Poisoning; Plants, Toxic; United States
PubMed: 33032698
DOI: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2020.08.002 -
Journal of Applied Microbiology Jan 2022Bacillus cytotoxicus is a member of the Bacillus cereus group with the ability to grow at high temperatures (up to 52℃) and to synthesize cytotoxin K-1, a... (Review)
Review
Bacillus cytotoxicus is a member of the Bacillus cereus group with the ability to grow at high temperatures (up to 52℃) and to synthesize cytotoxin K-1, a diarrhoeagenic cytotoxin, which appears to be unique to this species and more cytotoxic than the cytotoxin K-2 produced by other members of this group. Only a few isolates of this species have been characterized with regard to their cytotoxic effects, and the role of cytotoxin K-1 as a causative agent of food poisoning remains largely unclear. Bacillus cytotoxicus was initially isolated from a food-borne outbreak, which led to three deaths, and the organism has since been linked to other outbreaks all involving plant-based food matrices. Other studies, as well as food-borne incidents reported to the UK Food Standards Agency, detected B. cytotoxicus in insect-related products and in dried food products. With insect-related food becoming increasingly popular, the association with this pathogen is concerning, requiring further investigation and evidence to protect public health. This review summarizes the current knowledge around B. cytotoxicus and highlights gaps in the literature from a food safety perspective.
Topics: Bacillus; Bacillus cereus; Enterotoxins; Food Microbiology; Food Safety; Foodborne Diseases; Humans
PubMed: 34260791
DOI: 10.1111/jam.15214 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Nov 2020The liver is one of the most commonly affected organs by ingested toxicants. This article familiarizes veterinarians with clinical signs, serum biochemistry changes,... (Review)
Review
The liver is one of the most commonly affected organs by ingested toxicants. This article familiarizes veterinarians with clinical signs, serum biochemistry changes, necropsy findings, and field information found in livestock poisonings with hepatotoxic plants. The focus is on the most common plant-derived hepatotoxins important to livestock in North America. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are covered in greater detail than the other toxins, because they are likely the most important plant-derived toxins worldwide in livestock, wildlife, and even human exposure. Additionally, many of the principles discussed regarding clinical diagnosis of pyrrolizidine alkaloid intoxication can be applied to the other poisonous plants listed.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Liver Diseases; Livestock; North America; Plant Poisoning; Plants, Toxic; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids
PubMed: 33032701
DOI: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2020.08.003 -
Biological Trace Element Research Oct 2021Lead is one of the most common heavy metal elements and has high biological toxicity. Long-term lead exposure will induce the contamination of animal feed, water, and... (Review)
Review
Lead is one of the most common heavy metal elements and has high biological toxicity. Long-term lead exposure will induce the contamination of animal feed, water, and food, which can cause chronic lead poisoning including nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity in humans and animals. In the past few decades, lead has caused widespread concern because of its significant threat to health. A large number of in vitro and animal experiments have shown that oxidative stress plays a key role in lead toxicity, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway can also be induced by lead toxicity. Therefore, plant polyphenols have attracted attention, with their advantages of being natural antioxidants and having low toxicity. Plant polyphenols can resist lead toxicity by chelating lead with their special chemical molecular structure. In addition, scavenging active oxygen and improving the level of antioxidant enzymes, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptosis are also the key to relieving lead poisoning by plant polyphenols. Various plant polyphenols have been suggested to be useful in alleviating lead toxicity in animals and humans and are believed to have good application prospects.
Topics: Animals; Antidotes; Antioxidants; Humans; Lead; Oxidative Stress; Polyphenols
PubMed: 33236294
DOI: 10.1007/s12011-020-02498-w -
Toxins Jul 2023Exposure to phytotoxins that are present in imported ornamental or native plants is an important cause of animal disease. Factors such as animal behaviors (especially... (Review)
Review
Exposure to phytotoxins that are present in imported ornamental or native plants is an important cause of animal disease. Factors such as animal behaviors (especially indoor pets), climate change, and an increase in the global market for household and ornamental plants led to the appearance of new, previously unreported plant poisonings in Europe. This has resulted in an increase in the incidence of rarely reported intoxications. This review presents some of the emerging and well-established plant species that are responsible for poisoning episodes in companion animals and livestock in Europe. The main plant species are described, and the mechanism of action of the primary active agents and their clinical effects are presented. Data reflecting the real incidence of emerging poisoning cases from plant toxins are scarce to nonexistent in most European countries due to a lack of a centralized reporting/poison control system. The diversity of plant species and phytotoxins, as well as the emerging nature of certain plant poisonings, warrant a continuous update of knowledge by veterinarians and animal owners. The taxonomy and active agents present in these plants should be communicated to ensure awareness of the risks these toxins pose for domestic animals.
Topics: Animals; Plant Poisoning; Animals, Domestic; Europe; Toxins, Biological; Animal Diseases; Poisoning
PubMed: 37505711
DOI: 10.3390/toxins15070442