-
Clinical Toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.) Mar 2024
Topics: Humans; Plant Oils; Plant Roots; Salicylates
PubMed: 38577862
DOI: 10.1080/15563650.2024.2329347 -
Toxicon : Official Journal of the... May 2024Due to climate change and increasing summer temperatures, tropical cattle may graze where temperate cattle have grazed, exposing tropical cattle to toxic plants they may...
Acute death as a result of poisoning tropical (Bos taurus indicus) but not temperate (Bos taurus taurus) cattle after oral dosing with Lupinus leucophyllus (velvet lupine).
Due to climate change and increasing summer temperatures, tropical cattle may graze where temperate cattle have grazed, exposing tropical cattle to toxic plants they may be unfamiliar with. This work compared the toxicity of Lupinus leucophyllus (velvet lupine) in temperate and tropical cattle. Orally dosed velvet lupine in tropical cattle caused death. If producers opt to graze tropical cattle, additional care must be taken on rangelands where toxic lupines like velvet lupine grow.
Topics: Animals; Lupinus; Cattle; Plant Poisoning; Cattle Diseases; Tropical Climate; Administration, Oral; Plants, Toxic
PubMed: 38570167
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107706 -
The Plant Journal : For Cell and... Apr 2024Poor management and excess fertilization of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchards are causing increasingly serious soil acidification, resulting in Al toxicity and...
Poor management and excess fertilization of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchards are causing increasingly serious soil acidification, resulting in Al toxicity and direct poisoning of roots. Strigolactones (SLs) are reported to be involved in plant responses to abiotic stress, but their role and mechanism under AlCl stress remain unknown. Here, we found that applying 1 μm GR24 (an SL analoge) significantly alleviated AlCl stress of M26 apple rootstock, mainly by blocking the movement of Al through cell wall and by vacuolar compartmentalization of Al. RNA-seq analysis identified the core transcription factor gene MdWRKY53, and overexpressing MdWRKY53 enhanced AlCl tolerance in transgenic apple plants through the same mechanism as GR24. Subsequently, we identified MdPMEI45 (encoding pectin methylesterase inhibitor) and MdALS3 (encoding an Al transporter) as downstream target genes of MdWRKY53 using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq). GR24 enhanced the interaction between MdWRKY53 and the transcription factor MdTCP15, further increasing the binding of MdWRKY53 to the MdPMEI45 promoter and inducing MdPMEI45 expression to prevent Al from crossing cell wall. MdWRKY53 also bound to the promoter of MdALS3 and enhanced its transcription to compartmentalize Al in vacuoles under AlCl stress. We therefore identified two modules involved in alleviating AlCl stress in woody plant apple: the SL-WRKY+TCP-PMEI module required for excluding external Al by blocking the entry of Al into cells and the SL-WRKY-ALS module allowing internal detoxification of Al through vacuolar compartmentalization. These findings lay a foundation for the practical application of SLs in agriculture.
PubMed: 38565306
DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16753 -
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 -
Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing... Mar 2024In January 2021, an acute chemical poisoning incident occurred at a fluorine polymerization plant. Through the analysis of the occupational health situation of the...
In January 2021, an acute chemical poisoning incident occurred at a fluorine polymerization plant. Through the analysis of the occupational health situation of the enterprise, combined with the clinical manifestations of the poisoned patients and the laboratory examination results, it was determined that the incident was an acute poisoning incident caused by the inhalation of organic fluorine mixed gas in the fluorine polymerization plant. Subsequently, it was clarified that the accident was caused by the illegal operation of the employees of the fluorine polymerization plant, which caused the discharge of the organic fluorine mixed gas containing high concentration of octafluoroisobutene, resulting in the poisoning of the on-site construction personnel. In order to avoid the occurrence of similar incidents, enterprises should implement the main responsibility of safety production, regularly organize supervision and inspection, eliminate illegal operations, conduct safety education and training for the staff of the unit and outsourced staff, and improve the emergency rescue ability of sudden poisoning incidents.
Topics: Humans; Accidents, Occupational; Fluorine; Polymerization; Occupational Health; Poisoning
PubMed: 38538237
DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20230303-00063 -
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry Apr 2024poisoning of cattle is toxicologically linked to the activation of bovine protein kinase C (PKC) by the plant-derived toxin simplexin. To understand the affinity of PKC...
poisoning of cattle is toxicologically linked to the activation of bovine protein kinase C (PKC) by the plant-derived toxin simplexin. To understand the affinity of PKC for simplexin, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) studies of simplexin, simplexin analogues, and several other activators of PKC. Binding enthalpy calculations indicated that simplexin had the strongest affinity for PKCα-C1B among the activators studied. Key to simplexin's affinity is its ability to form more hydrogen bonds to PKC, compared to the other activators. The C-3 carbonyl group and C-20 hydroxyl group of simplexin were identified as especially important for stabilizing the PKC binding interaction. The hydrophobic alkyl chain of simplexin induces deep membrane embedding of the PKC-simplexin complex, enhancing the protein-ligand hydrogen bonding. Our findings align with previous experiments on structure-activity relationships (SAR) for simplexin analogues, and provide insights that may guide the development of interventions or treatments for poisoning.
Topics: Cattle; Animals; Protein Kinase C; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Terpenes; Alkaloids; Protein Binding
PubMed: 38525790
DOI: 10.1039/d4ob00065j -
Food Chemistry Aug 2024Amanita exitialis, a deadly mushroom found in eastern Asia, causes the highest death rates among all poisonous mushrooms in China. The aim of the present study was to...
Amanita exitialis, a deadly mushroom found in eastern Asia, causes the highest death rates among all poisonous mushrooms in China. The aim of the present study was to develop an efficient, accurate, and user-friendly PCR-based method for identifying A. exitialis that could facilitate the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of associated food poisoning. A. exitialis-specific primers and probes were designed based on the internal transcribed spacer region variations of 27 mushroom species. Specificity was confirmed using conventional and real-time PCR for 23 non-target mushroom species, including morphologically similar and closely related species. Compared to conventional PCR, real-time PCR was more sensitive (detectable DNA concentration: 1.36 × 10 ng/μL vs. 1.36 × 10) and efficient (analysis time: 1 h vs. 40 min). Furthermore, the real-time PCR results could be immediately visualized using amplification curve analysis. The results present two robust PCR-based methods for A. exitialis identification that can facilitate food safety.
Topics: Amanita; DNA, Fungal; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; DNA Primers; Polymerase Chain Reaction; China; Mushroom Poisoning
PubMed: 38520990
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139086 -
Food Research International (Ottawa,... Apr 2024Gelsemium elegans (GE) is a widely distributed hypertoxic plant that has caused many food poisoning incidents. Its pollen can also be collected by bees to produce toxic...
Gelsemium elegans (GE) is a widely distributed hypertoxic plant that has caused many food poisoning incidents. Its pollen can also be collected by bees to produce toxic honey, posing a great threat to the health and safety of consumers. However, for the complex matrices such as cooked food and honey, it is challenging to perform composition analysis. It is necessary to establish more effective strategies for investigating GE contamination. In this study, the real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis combined with DNA barcode matK was proposed for the identification and detection of GE. Fifteen honey samples along with twenty-eight individuals of GE and the common confusable objects Lonicera japonica, Ficus hirta, Stellera chamaejasme and Chelidonium majus were gathered. Additionally, the food mixtures treated with 20-min boiling and 30-min digestion were prepared. Specific primers were designed, and the detection capability and sensitivity of qPCR in honey and boiled and digested food matrices were tested. The results demonstrated that the matK sequence with sufficient mutation sites was an effective molecular marker for species differentiation. GE and the confusable species could be clearly classified by the fluorescence signal of qPCR assay with a high sensitivity of 0.001 ng/μl. In addition, this method was successfully employed for the detection of deeply processed food materials and honey containing GE plants which even accounted for only 0.1 %. The sequencing-free qPCR approach undoubtedly can serve as a robust support for the quality supervision of honey industry and the prevention and diagnosis of food poisoning.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Honey; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Gelsemium; Food, Processed; Plants; Foodborne Diseases
PubMed: 38519193
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114188 -
Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences... Jan 2024<b>Background and Objective:</b> Lead poisoning (Pb) is a big problem because it is found in almost all objects in daily life such as vehicle fuel, water...
<b>Background and Objective:</b> Lead poisoning (Pb) is a big problem because it is found in almost all objects in daily life such as vehicle fuel, water pipes, ceramics, cosmetics and others. Continuous lead exposure can increase ROS resulting in an increase in hepatic IL-6 and caspase 3 which replaces hepatic cell apoptosis. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of <i>Apium graveolens</i> (celery) extract on plasma IL-6 and hepatic caspase 3 levels. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> This study used a post-test control group design. The research subjects were 20 Wistar rats that met the inclusion criteria and were divided into 4 groups randomly, namely (a) Sham group that had no treatment, (b) Negative control group was induced with lead acetate 200 mg kg<sup>1</sup> body weight/day without any treatment (c) Positive control group and (d) Treated group. On the 15th day, blood was taken to check IL-6 levels and tissue was taken for liver caspase 3 examination by immunohistochemical method. Data analysis used the one-way ANOVA test and continued with the <i>post hoc</i> LSD test. <b>Results:</b> The highest mean caspase 3 expression was in the control group 45.84±4.39 pg mL<sup>1</sup>, while the mean of IL-6 plasma level was highest in the P1 641.33±39.72 pg mL<sup>1</sup> group. The Mann-Whitney test showed a significant difference in IL-6 levels between the study groups (p = 0.000). The Mann-Whitney test showed a significant difference in caspase 3 levels between the study groups (p = 0.000). <b>Conclusion:</b> Giving celery extract 300 mg kg<sup>1</sup> body weight/day affects plasma IL-6 and hepatic caspase 3 levels in lead acetate-induced rats.
Topics: Animals; Rats; Apium; Body Weight; Caspase 3; Interleukin-6; Lead Poisoning; Liver; Models, Animal; Organometallic Compounds; Plant Extracts; Rats, Wistar; Vegetables
PubMed: 38516746
DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2024.52.58 -
Toxicon : Official Journal of the... May 2024Abrus precatorius is an herbaceous, flowering plant that is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Its toxic component, known as abrin, is classified as... (Review)
Review
Abrus precatorius is an herbaceous, flowering plant that is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Its toxic component, known as abrin, is classified as one of the potentially significant biological warfare agents and bioterrorism tools due to its high toxicity. Abrin poisoning can be utilized to cause accidents, suicides, and homicides, which necessitates attention from clinicians and forensic scientists. Although a few studies have recently identified the toxicological and pharmacological mechanisms of abrin, the exact mechanism remains unclear. Furthermore, the clinical symptoms and pathological changes induced by abrin poisoning have not been fully characterized, and there is a lack of standardized methods for identifying biological samples of the toxin. Therefore, there is an urgent need for further toxicopathologic studies and the development of detection methods for abrin in the field of forensic medicine. This review provides an overview of the clinical symptoms, pathological changes, metabolic changes, toxicologic mechanisms, and detection methods of abrin poisoning from the perspective of forensic toxicology. Additionally, the evidence on abrin in the field of forensic toxicology and forensic pathology is discussed. Overall, this review serves as a reference for understanding the toxicological mechanism of abrin, highlighting the clinical applications of the toxin, and aiding in the diagnosis and forensic identification of toxin poisoning.
Topics: Abrin; Humans; Forensic Toxicology; Abrus
PubMed: 38513827
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107684