Nigropallidal Encephalomalacia in Horses Associated with Ingestion of Yellow Star Thistle

Toxic Equine Parkinsonism: An Immunohistochemical Study of 10 Horses With Nigropallidal Encephalomalacia

“…As reported in previous studies, 5,7,8,14,21,22 typical lesions of equine NPE consisted of well-circumscribed necrotic areas in the SNr (Fig. 2, 3) and GP (Fig.…”

“…The histopathologic alterations of NPE have been well documented, consisting of circumscribed and mostly bilateral necrosis in the substantia nigra and the globus pallidus (GP). 5,7,8,14,21,22 However, there has been only limited ongoing research on NPE, and none has been able to identify unequivocally the proximate toxic principle in the 2 plants. 5,8,18,21 Repin, the most abundant constituent, is considered a leading suspect.…”

Cytotoxic effects of repin, a principal sesquiterpene lactone of russian knapweed

“…Chronic ingestion of large amounts of Centaurea repens by horses has been reported to cause equine nigrostriatal encephalomalacia (ENE), characterized by degeneration and necrosis of the substantia nigra and corpus striatum and by signs and symptoms similar to those of Parkinson's disease (PD) (Cordy, 1954(Cordy, , 1978Fowler, 1965;Young et al, 1970). An almost identical disorder develops in horses after ingestion of a related weed called yellow star thistle (Mettler and Stern, 1963).…”

The structure and absolute configuration of solstitialin, C15H20O5

“…Continued ingestion of yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis L.) by horses has been associated with a syndrome variously called 'chewing disease' or 'star thistle poisoning' (Cordy, 1954;Fowler, 1965) in which the horses have difficulty in eating and drinking, sometimes eventually dying by starvation. Neutral aqueous-ethanolic extracts of the plant have been shown to be toxic in moderate dosage to mice, rats and monkeys (Mettler & Stern, 1963).…”