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Frontiers in Plant Science 2024Rice () is the primary crop for nearly half of the world's population. Groundwater in many rice-growing parts of the world often has elevated levels of arsenite and...
Rice () is the primary crop for nearly half of the world's population. Groundwater in many rice-growing parts of the world often has elevated levels of arsenite and arsenate. At the same time, rice can accumulate up to 20 times more arsenic compared to other staple crops. This places an enormous amount of people at risk of chronic arsenic poisoning. In this study, we investigated whether Raman spectroscopy (RS) could be used to diagnose arsenic toxicity in rice based on biochemical changes that were induced by arsenic accumulation. We modeled arsenite and arsenate stresses in four different rice cultivars grown in hydroponics over a nine-day window. Our results demonstrate that Raman spectra acquired from rice leaves, coupled with partial least squares-discriminant analysis, enabled accurate detection and identification of arsenic stress with approximately 89% accuracy. We also performed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-analysis of rice leaves to identify the key molecular analytes sensed by RS in confirming arsenic poisoning. We found that RS primarily detected a decrease in the concentration of lutein and an increase in the concentration of vanillic and ferulic acids due to the accumulation of arsenite and arsenate in rice. This showed that these molecules are detectable indicators of biochemical response to arsenic accumulation. Finally, a cross-correlation of RS with HPLC and ICP-MS demonstrated RS's potential for a label-free, non-invasive, and non-destructive quantification of arsenic accumulation in rice.
PubMed: 38590750
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1371748 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024Exposure to plants accounts for approximately 5% of human poisoning cases reported by poison control centers in North America and Europe. The aim of this study was to...
BACKGROUND
Exposure to plants accounts for approximately 5% of human poisoning cases reported by poison control centers in North America and Europe. The aim of this study was to investigate acute plant poisoning in patients aged 0-18 years admitted to a Romanian pediatric poison center, focusing on epidemiological and clinical aspects.
METHODS
A retrospective observational study was conducted between 2017 and 2022, analyzing medical records for demographic information, clinical features, biological findings, and outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel.
RESULTS
71 patients (aged 7 months to 16 years) presented with acute plant poisoning. Most cases were unintentional (92.9%), peaking during the autumn season. (18.3%), (9.8%), and (5%) were the most frequently involved plants. Gastrointestinal symptoms, especially vomiting, predominated. The Poisoning Severity Score classified most cases as mild (52.1%), with no severe or fatal cases. The mean length of hospitalization was 1.8 days.
CONCLUSIONS
Unintentional plant exposure, mainly in children under 5 years of age, accounted for more than 90% of cases. Gastrointestinal exposure and symptoms were prevalent, and treatment consisted mainly of symptomatic and supportive measures. Severe and fatal cases were rare, highlighting the generally favorable outcome and low incidence of severe poisoning in the pediatric population.
PubMed: 38539306
DOI: 10.3390/children11030271 -
Toxicon : Official Journal of the... May 2024Two field cases of reddish-black pigmenturia occurred where cattle grazed on an established Cenchrus ciliaris (blue buffalo grass) pasture in South Africa. The pasture...
Two field cases of reddish-black pigmenturia occurred where cattle grazed on an established Cenchrus ciliaris (blue buffalo grass) pasture in South Africa. The pasture was noticeably invaded by Indigofera cryptantha, which was heavily grazed. Apart from the discolored urine, no other clinical abnormalities were detected. Urinalysis revealed hemoglobinuria, proteinuria and an alkaline pH. When the animals were immediately removed from the infested pasture, they made an uneventful recovery. However, a bull died when one of the herds could not be removed from the I. cryptantha-infested pasture. Macroscopically, the kidneys were dark red in color and the urinary bladder contained the dark pigmented urine. Microscopically, the renal tubules contained eosinophilic, granular pigment casts in the lumen. In addition, many renal tubular epithelial cells were attenuated with granular cytoplasm and were detached from the basement membranes. Chemical analysis was performed on dried, milled plant material and two urine samples collected during the field investigations. Qualitative UPLC-UV-qTOF/MS analysis revealed the presence of indican (indoxyl-β-glucoside) in the stems, leaves and pods of I. cryptantha and indoxyl sulfate was identified, and confirmed with an analytical standard, in the urine samples. It is proposed that following ingestion of I. cryptantha, indican will be hydrolysed in the liver to indoxyl and conjugated with sulfate. Indoxyl sulfate will then be excreted in relatively high concentrations in the urine. In the alkaline urine, two indoxyl molecules might dimerize to form leucoindigo with subsequent oxidation to indigo, thus, contributing to the dark pigmentation of the urine. It is also possible that indoxyl sulfate contributed to the renal failure and death of the bull. Although I. suffruticosa-induced hemoglobinuria has been described in Brazil, this is the first report of I. cryptantha-induced pigmenturia in cattle in South Africa.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Indican; Indigofera; Kidney; Plant Poisoning; South Africa; Male
PubMed: 38508242
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107690 -
Veterinary Research Communications Jun 2024Poisoning is often suspected to be the origin of disease in South American camelids (SACs) by owners, but only in a few cases this assumption can be confirmed. In small...
Poisoning is often suspected to be the origin of disease in South American camelids (SACs) by owners, but only in a few cases this assumption can be confirmed. In small ruminants, rhododendron poisoning is a common emergency for livestock veterinarians. However, this condition has rarely been reported in SACs so far. This paper provides information regarding clinical findings, hematology, clinical chemistry, and treatment of four alpacas after presumed intake of rhododendron leaves including pathological findings of one of the animals. Rhododendron leaves contain grayanatoxins that lead to hyperpolarization of excitable cells. Clinical signs that were observed in the presented alpacas comprised: salivation, dehydration, decreased motility of compartment 1, uncoordinated regurgitation, and cardiac arrhythmia. Clinical chemistry revealed that rhododendron poisoning was associated with metabolic acidosis and azotaemia, hyponatremia and hyperkalemia. Most striking macroscopic and histopathological findings included gastric ulceration, and renal infarcts along with inflammatory changes. Leaves of Rhododendron spp. were identified in the forestomach content of this animal. Affected animals were treated symptomatically as there is no specific antidote in rhododendron poisoning. This included parenteral rehydration, treatment of metabolic acidosis (infusion of sodium bicarbonate solution), and oral administration of activated charcoal to bind potential toxins. In addition, antibiotic treatment might be necessary to prevent aspiration pneumonia in case of uncoordinated regurgitation. Of the four animals, the worst affected alpaca was euthanized, one had minimal signs and two responded to supportive care and recovered. In conclusion, rhododendron poisoning might be fatal for alpacas in individual cases and therefore rhododendron bushes should not be placed in the habitat of SACs.
Topics: Animals; Rhododendron; Camelids, New World; Plant Poisoning; Germany; Male; Plant Leaves; Female
PubMed: 38483734
DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10334-y -
Scientific Reports Mar 2024This study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemical detoxifying activities of Echinacea purpurea ethanolic extract (EEE)...
This study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemical detoxifying activities of Echinacea purpurea ethanolic extract (EEE) against bifenthrin-induced renal injury. Adult male albino rats (160-200 g) were divided into four groups (10 rats each) and orally treated for 30 days as follows: (1) normal control; (2) healthy animals were treated with EEE (465 mg/kg/day) dissolved in water; (3) healthy animals were given bifenthrin (7 mg/kg/day) dissolved in olive oil; (4) animals were orally administered with EEE 1-h prior bifenthrin intoxication. The obtained results revealed that administration of the animals with bifenthrin caused significant elevations of serum values of urea, creatinine, ALAT and ASAT, as well as renal inflammatory (IL-1β, TNF-α & IFN-γ), apoptotic (Caspase-3) and oxidative stress (MDA and NO) markers coupled with a marked drop in the values of renal antioxidant markers (GSH, GPx, and SOD) in compare to those of normal control. Administration of EEE prior to bifenthrin resulted in a considerable amelioration of the mentioned deteriorated parameters near to that of control; moreover, the extract markedly improved the histological architecture of the kidney. In conclusion, Echinacea purpurea ethanolic extract has promising ameliorative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, renoprotective, and detoxifying efficiencies against bifenthrin-induced renal injury.
Topics: Male; Rats; Animals; Antioxidants; Kidney; Oxidative Stress; Ethanol; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Plant Extracts; Pyrethrins; Echinacea
PubMed: 38467789
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56494-4 -
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 -
Toxicology Mar 2024Ricin is a highly toxic plant toxin that can cause multi-organ failure, especially liver dysfunction, and is a potential bioterrorism agent. Despite the serious public...
Ricin is a highly toxic plant toxin that can cause multi-organ failure, especially liver dysfunction, and is a potential bioterrorism agent. Despite the serious public health challenge posed by ricin, effective therapeutic for ricin-induced poisoning is currently unavailable. Therefore, it is important to explore the mechanism of ricin poisoning and develop appropriate treatment protocols accordingly. Previous studies have shown that lipid peroxidation and iron accumulation are associated with ricin poisoning. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of cell death caused by excessive accumulation of lipid peroxide. The role and mechanism of ferroptosis in ricin poisoning are unclear and require further study. We investigated the effect of ferroptosis on ricin-induced liver injury and further elucidated the mechanism. The results showed that ferroptosis occurred in the liver of ricin-intoxicated rats, and Ferrostatin‑1 could ameliorate hepatic ferroptosis and thus liver injury. Ricin induced liver injury by decreasing hepatic reduced glutathione and the protein level of glutathione peroxidase 4 and Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11, increasing iron, malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial damage, whereas Ferrostatin‑1 pretreatment increased hepatic reduced glutathione and the protein level of glutathione peroxidase 4 and Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11, decreased iron, malondialdehyde, and reactive oxygen species, and ameliorated mitochondrial damage, thereby alleviated liver injury. These results suggested that ferroptosis exacerbated liver injury after ricin poisoning and that inhibition of ferroptosis may be a novel strategy for the treatment of ricin poisoning.
Topics: Animals; Rats; Ricin; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic; Ferroptosis; Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; Reactive Oxygen Species; Foodborne Diseases; Iron; Malondialdehyde; Glutathione; Cyclohexylamines; Phenylenediamines
PubMed: 38437911
DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153767 -
Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi. Journal of... 2024Assuming food poisoning caused by toxic plants, an LC-TOF-MS-based method for the rapid and simultaneous analysis of 16 plant toxins was established. After adding...
Assuming food poisoning caused by toxic plants, an LC-TOF-MS-based method for the rapid and simultaneous analysis of 16 plant toxins was established. After adding water-methanol (1 : 9) and n-hexane, the samples were homogenized and extracted, and then subjected to centrifugal separation. Without any purification procedures, LC-TOF-MS measurements were performed, and qualitative and quantitative analyses using monoisotopic ion [M+H]+ (m/z) were conducted. The addition-recovery test using curry showed that qualitative analysis was possible under a setting with a retention time of ±0.2 minutes or less and mass accuracy of 5 ppm or lower and that quantitative analysis was possible with a recovery rate of 68-142% and a repeatability of 1.4-10.1%. Furthermore, measurements of the amount of plant toxins in the boiled plants and broths of cooked toxic plants demonstrated the transfer of plant toxins to broths. These suggest that in the event of food poisoning, broths may be used as an analysis sample, even when plants are not available.
Topics: Humans; Alkaloids; Cooking; Foodborne Diseases; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Methanol; Toxins, Biological
PubMed: 38432899
DOI: 10.3358/shokueishi.65.7 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024Kashmir Himalaya hosts the most diverse and rich flora in the world, which serves as grazing land for millions of small ruminants in the area. While most plant species...
Kashmir Himalaya hosts the most diverse and rich flora in the world, which serves as grazing land for millions of small ruminants in the area. While most plant species are beneficial, some can be poisonous, causing economic losses and animal health issues for livestock. Consequently, this study is the first comprehensive report on the traditional phyto-toxicological knowledge in District Muzaffarabad and the assessment of its authenticity through experimental studies in rats. The data regarding traditional knowledge was gathered from 70 key respondents through semi-structured interviews, which was quantitatively analyzed and authenticated through plant extract testing on Wistar female rats and comparison with published resources. A total of 46 poisonous plant species belonging to 23 families and 38 genera were reported to be poisonous in the study area. Results revealed that leaves were the most toxic plant parts (24 species, 52.1%), followed by the whole plant (18 species, 39.1%), stem (17 species, 36.9%), and seeds (10 species, 21.7%). At the organ level, liver as most susceptible affected by 13 species (28.2%), followed by the gastrointestinal tract (15 species, 32.6%), nervous system (13 species, 8.2%), dermis (8 species, 17.3%), renal (7 species, 15.2%), respiratory (4 species, 8.7%), cardiovascular system (3 species, 6.5%), and reproductive system (2 species, 4.3%). The poisonous plant species with high Relative frequency citation (RFC) and fidelity level (FL) were (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100) (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100), and (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100). Experimental assessment of acute toxicity assay in rats revealed that was the most toxic plant with LD of (4,000 mg/kg), trailed by (4,200 mg/kg), (4,500 mg/kg), and (4,700 mg/kg); however, other plants showed moderate to mild toxicity. The major clinical observations were anorexia, piloerection, dyspnea, salivation, tachypnea, constipation, diarrhea, tremor, itchiness, and dullness. This study showed that numerous poisonous plants pose a significant risk to the livestock industry within Himalayan territory, leading to substantial economic losses. Consequently, it is of utmost importance to conduct further comprehensive studies on the phytotoxicity of plants.
PubMed: 38420196
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1328133 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024Nowadays, unprecedented health challenges are urging novel solutions to address antimicrobial resistance as multidrug-resistant strains of bacteria, yeasts and moulds...
Nowadays, unprecedented health challenges are urging novel solutions to address antimicrobial resistance as multidrug-resistant strains of bacteria, yeasts and moulds are emerging. Such microorganisms can cause food and feed spoilage, food poisoning and even more severe diseases, resulting in human death. In order to overcome this phenomenon, it is essential to identify novel antimicrobials that are naturally occurring, biologically effective and increasingly safe for human use. The development of gemmotherapy extracts (GTEs) using plant parts such as buds and young shoots has emerged as a novel approach to treat/prevent human conditions due to their associated antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and/or antimicrobial properties that all require careful evaluations. Seven GTEs obtained from plant species like the olive ( L.), almond ( L.), black mulberry ( L.), walnut ( L.), blackberry ( L.), blackcurrant ( L.) and bilberry ( L.) were tested for their antimicrobial efficiency via agar diffusion and microbroth dilution methods. The antimicrobial activity was assessed for eight bacterial (, , subsp. , , , , and ), five moulds (, , , , ) and one yeast strain (). The agar diffusion method revealed the blackberry GTE as the most effective since it inhibited the growth of three bacterial, four moulds and one yeast species, having considered the total number of affected microorganism species. Next to the blackberry, the olive GTE appeared to be the second most efficient, suppressing five bacterial strains but no moulds or yeasts. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were then determined for each GTE and the microorganisms tested. Noticeably, the olive GTE appeared to feature the strongest bacteriostatic and bactericidal outcome, displaying specificity for , and . The other GTEs, such as blueberry, walnut, black mulberry and almond (the list indicates relative strength), were more effective at suppressing microbial growth than inducing microbial death. However, some species specificities were also evident, while the blackcurrant GTE had no significant antimicrobial activity. Having seen the antimicrobial properties of the analysed GTEs, especially the olive and black mulberry GTEs, these could be envisioned as potential antimicrobials that might enhance antibiotic therapies efficiency, while the blackberry GTE would act as an antifungal agent. Some of the GTE mixtures analysed have shown interesting antimicrobial synergies, and all the antimicrobial effects observed argue for extending these studies to include pathological microorganisms.
PubMed: 38391567
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13020181