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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 -
Toxins Oct 2020Animal feeds may contain exogenous compounds that can induce toxicity when ruminants ingest them. These toxins are secondary metabolites originating from various sources... (Review)
Review
Animal feeds may contain exogenous compounds that can induce toxicity when ruminants ingest them. These toxins are secondary metabolites originating from various sources including plants, bacteria, algae and fungi. Animal feed toxins are responsible for various animal poisonings which negatively impact the livestock industry. Poisoning is more frequently reported in newly exposed, naïve ruminants while 'experienced' ruminants are observed to better tolerate toxin-contaminated feed. Ruminants can possess detoxification ability through rumen microorganisms with the rumen microbiome able to adapt to utilise toxic secondary metabolites. The ability of rumen microorganisms to metabolise these toxins has been used as a basis for the development of preventative probiotics to confer resistance against the poisoning to naïve ruminants. In this review, detoxification of various toxins, which include plant toxins, cyanobacteria toxins and plant-associated fungal mycotoxins, by rumen microorganisms is discussed. The review will include clinical studies of the animal poisoning caused by these toxins, the toxin mechanism of action, toxin degradation by rumen microorganisms, reported and hypothesised detoxification mechanisms and identified toxin metabolites with their toxicity compared to their parent toxin. This review highlights the commercial potential of rumen inoculum derived probiotics as viable means of improving ruminant health and production.
Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Bacteria; Bacterial Toxins; Food Microbiology; Inactivation, Metabolic; Mycotoxins; Plant Poisoning; Plants, Toxic; Probiotics; Rumen; Ruminants
PubMed: 33092236
DOI: 10.3390/toxins12100664 -
Indian Journal of Critical Care... Dec 2019India has a very high incidence of poisoning. While most cases are due to chemicals or drugs or envenomation by venomous creatures, a significant proportion also results...
UNLABELLED
India has a very high incidence of poisoning. While most cases are due to chemicals or drugs or envenomation by venomous creatures, a significant proportion also results from consumption or exposure to toxic plants or plant parts or products. The exact nature of plant poisoning varies from region to region, but certain plants are almost ubiquitous in distribution, and among these, Oleander and Datura are the prime examples. These plants are commonly encountered in almost all parts of India. While one is a wild shrub (Datura) that proliferates in the countryside and by roadsides, and the other (Oleander) is a garden plant that features in many homes. Incidents of poisoning from these plants are therefore not uncommon and may be the result of accidental exposure or deliberate, suicidal ingestion of the toxic parts. An attempt has been made to review the management principles with regard to toxicity of these plants and survey the literature in order to highlight current concepts in the treatment of poisoning resulting from both plants.
HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE
Pillay VV, Sasidharan A. Oleander and Datura Poisoning: An Update. Indian J Crit Care Med 2019;23(Suppl 4):S250-S255.
PubMed: 32020998
DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10071-23302 -
Toxicon : Official Journal of the... Apr 2021Spontaneous and experimental Stryphnodendron fissuratum poisoning in cattle have been documented in the scientific literature. However, clinical and anatomopathological...
Spontaneous and experimental Stryphnodendron fissuratum poisoning in cattle have been documented in the scientific literature. However, clinical and anatomopathological aspects of such poisoning are not fully understood. Thus, the objective of this study was to describe the clinical, biochemical, gross and microscopic findings of spontaneous Stryphnodendron fissuratum poisoning in cattle as well the experimental poisoning by this plant in sheep. Three outbreaks in cattle from different farms were analyzed. From these farms, S. fissuratum fruit specimens were collected and subsequently administered to six sheep. Some cattle showed clinical signs of poisoning such as blindness, apathy, dysphagia, excessive drooling, weight loss and photodermatitis. In the experimental poisoning condition, one sheep received only the peel of the fruit, one received the seed, and the others received the whole fruit. The whole fruit caused fatal poisoning in one sheep, which showed anorexia, excessive drooling, nystagmus, and paddling. Necropsies and clinical, histopathological, and pathological examination of poisoned cattle and sheep showed that the plant may cause acute renal failure along with extrarenal uremic lesions.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Disease Outbreaks; Fabaceae; Plant Poisoning; Sheep; Sheep Diseases
PubMed: 33524427
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.01.016 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Sep 2022Plant toxicology has affected animals throughout evolution. Plants have adapted themselves to the environment. This adaptation has led to the development of defensive... (Review)
Review
Plant toxicology has affected animals throughout evolution. Plants have adapted themselves to the environment. This adaptation has led to the development of defensive strategies to avoid being consumed. Plants have several chemical compounds, which can cause deleterious effects on people or animals that consume them, causing a wide variety of clinical signs. Plants from various latitudes, both cultivated for human and animal feeding or decorative purpose and even wild growth plants are able to generate anaemia in ruminants. Coumarins or ptaquiloside predispose bleeding and haemorrhages, causing a haemorrhagic disease in affected animals. In this group, some important fodder plants, such sweet clover (Genus spp.), or other weeds distributed worldwide, such as bracken fern () of giant fennel (), are included. On the other hand, sulfur-containing chemicals (e.g., n-propyl disulfate and S-propyl cysteine sulfoxides (SMCOs)) may cause severe direct damage to the erythrocyte and their membrane, leading to their destruction and causing haemolytic anaemia in the animal. This review presents the most frequent intoxication by plants causing anaemia in ruminants. Toxic compounds, clinical signs, diagnosis and possible treatments are also presented.
PubMed: 36139233
DOI: 10.3390/ani12182373 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2020Indoor plant poisoning poses serious threats to companion animals. One of the major reasons of this kind of hazard can be identified in the increased amount of time that... (Review)
Review
Indoor plant poisoning poses serious threats to companion animals. One of the major reasons of this kind of hazard can be identified in the increased amount of time that the pets spend indoor, sharing the domestic environment with their owners. In this review, the toxic houseplants most commonly associated with companion animal poisoning in Europe and well-documented in the literature are emphasized. An analysis of the major and emerging plant species accountable for companion animal poisoning is proposed, in order to provide a framework of the factors influencing these incidents. Indeed, knowing the way substances may induce toxic effects in companion animals can be useful in allowing easier diagnosis and treatment processes. In conclusion, the Authors argue that a better characterization of the phenomenon, as well as of its extent, would be allowed by the availability of a centralized system for the data collection. Furthermore, better information and awareness on the issue may help developing a focused corrective approach to prevent indoor pet poisoning in Europe.
PubMed: 32851047
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00487 -
Archives of Toxicology Jun 2020Arsenic (As) is widely used in the modern industry, especially in the production of pesticides, herbicides, wood preservatives, and semiconductors. The sources of As... (Review)
Review
Arsenic (As) is widely used in the modern industry, especially in the production of pesticides, herbicides, wood preservatives, and semiconductors. The sources of As such as contaminated water, air, soil, but also food, can cause serious human diseases. The complex mechanism of As toxicity in the human body is associated with the generation of free radicals and the induction of oxidative damage in the cell. One effective strategy in reducing the toxic effects of As is the usage of chelating agents, which provide the formation of inert chelator-metal complexes with their further excretion from the body. This review discusses different aspects of the use of metal chelators, alone or in combination, in the treatment of As poisoning. Consideration is given to the therapeutic effect of thiol chelators such as meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid, sodium 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonate, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol, penicillamine, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and other recent agents against As toxicity. The review also considers the possible role of flavonoids, trace elements, and herbal drugs as promising natural chelating and detoxifying agents.
Topics: Animals; Antidotes; Arsenic Poisoning; Arsenicals; Chelating Agents; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants; Humans; Plant Preparations; Risk Assessment; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32388818
DOI: 10.1007/s00204-020-02739-w -
Nature Apr 2024Genomic imprinting-the non-equivalence of maternal and paternal genomes-is a critical process that has evolved independently in many plant and mammalian species....
Genomic imprinting-the non-equivalence of maternal and paternal genomes-is a critical process that has evolved independently in many plant and mammalian species. According to kinship theory, imprinting is the inevitable consequence of conflictive selective forces acting on differentially expressed parental alleles. Yet, how these epigenetic differences evolve in the first place is poorly understood. Here we report the identification and molecular dissection of a parent-of-origin effect on gene expression that might help to clarify this fundamental question. Toxin-antidote elements (TAs) are selfish elements that spread in populations by poisoning non-carrier individuals. In reciprocal crosses between two Caenorhabditis tropicalis wild isolates, we found that the slow-1/grow-1 TA is specifically inactive when paternally inherited. This parent-of-origin effect stems from transcriptional repression of the slow-1 toxin by the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) host defence pathway. The repression requires PIWI Argonaute and SET-32 histone methyltransferase activities and is transgenerationally inherited via small RNAs. Remarkably, when slow-1/grow-1 is maternally inherited, slow-1 repression is halted by a translation-independent role of its maternal mRNA. That is, slow-1 transcripts loaded into eggs-but not SLOW-1 protein-are necessary and sufficient to counteract piRNA-mediated repression. Our findings show that parent-of-origin effects can evolve by co-option of the piRNA pathway and hinder the spread of selfish genes that require sex for their propagation.
Topics: Animals; Female; Male; Alleles; Argonaute Proteins; Caenorhabditis; Crosses, Genetic; Fathers; Genome; Genomic Imprinting; Hermaphroditic Organisms; Histone Methyltransferases; Mothers; Oocytes; Piwi-Interacting RNA; Protein Biosynthesis; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; RNA, Messenger; Toxins, Biological; Transcription, Genetic
PubMed: 38448590
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07155-z -
Toxins Nov 2020Plant- and fungus-derived hepatotoxins are a major cause of disease and production losses in ruminants in Australia and around the world. Many are well studied and... (Review)
Review
Plant- and fungus-derived hepatotoxins are a major cause of disease and production losses in ruminants in Australia and around the world. Many are well studied and described in the literature; however, this is not the case for a number of hepatotoxicities with economic and animal welfare impacts, such as acute bovine liver disease (ABLD), brassica-associated liver disease (BALD) and , and toxicity. Additionally, significant overlap in the clinical presentation and pathology of these conditions can present a diagnostic challenge for veterinarians. This review summarizes the current and most recently published knowledge of common plant- and fungus-associated hepatotoxins affecting cattle in Australia, with a focus on the mechanisms of toxicity and distinguishing diagnostic features. Consolidation of the current understanding of hepatotoxic mechanisms in cattle provides insight into the potential mechanisms of lesser-known toxins, including cellular and subcellular targets and potential metabolic pathways. In the absence of specific etiological investigations, the study of epidemiological, clinical and pathological features of hepatotoxicity provides valuable insights into potential toxic mechanisms and is integral for the successful diagnosis and management of these conditions.
Topics: Animals; Australia; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Fungi; Liver; Mycotoxins; Plant Poisoning; Plants, Toxic; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 33171661
DOI: 10.3390/toxins12110707 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2023Arsenic (As) is a metalloid prevalent mainly in soil and water. The presence of As above permissible levels becomes toxic and detrimental to living organisms, therefore,... (Review)
Review
Arsenic (As) is a metalloid prevalent mainly in soil and water. The presence of As above permissible levels becomes toxic and detrimental to living organisms, therefore, making it a significant global concern. Humans can absorb As through drinking polluted water and consuming As-contaminated food material grown in soil having As problems. Since human beings are mobile organisms, they can use clean uncontaminated water and food found through various channels or switch from an As-contaminated area to a clean area; but plants are sessile and obtain As along with essential minerals and water through roots that make them more susceptible to arsenic poisoning and consequent stress. Arsenic and phosphorus have many similarities in terms of their physical and chemical characteristics, and they commonly compete to cause physiological anomalies in biological systems that contribute to further stress. Initial indicators of arsenic's propensity to induce toxicity in plants are a decrease in yield and a loss in plant biomass. This is accompanied by considerable physiological alterations; including instant oxidative surge; followed by essential biomolecule oxidation. These variables ultimately result in cell permeability and an electrolyte imbalance. In addition, arsenic disturbs the nucleic acids, the transcription process, and the essential enzymes engaged with the plant system's primary metabolic pathways. To lessen As absorption by plants, a variety of mitigation strategies have been proposed which include agronomic practices, plant breeding, genetic manipulation, computer-aided modeling, biochemical techniques, and the altering of human approaches regarding consumption and pollution, and in these ways, increased awareness may be generated. These mitigation strategies will further help in ensuring good health, food security, and environmental sustainability. This article summarises the nature of the impact of arsenic on plants, the physio-biochemical mechanisms evolved to cope with As stress, and the mitigation measures that can be employed to eliminate the negative effects of As.
PubMed: 37176873
DOI: 10.3390/plants12091815