Senecio madagascariensis Poir. (Asteraceae): uma nova causa de seneciose em bovinos no Sul do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Pesq. Vet. Bras. 34(9):851-855, setembro 2014 851 RESUMO.-Descrevem-se dois surtos de intoxicação por Senecio madagascariensis Poir. diagnosticados em bovinos em outubro de 2013 na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul. A morbidade foi de 3,2% e de 6,1% respectivamente e a letalidade foi de 100%. Um terceiro caso da intoxicação ocorreu em uma propriedade na qual de 54 bovinos um morreu com sinais clínicos da intoxicação. Em todos os casos, os bovinos estavam em áreas altamente infestas por S. madagascariensis que se encontrava em floração. Os sinais clíni-cos caracterizaram-se por diarreia, tenesmo, opistótono e emagrecimento progressivo e a morte ocorreu entre 10 e 15 dias após o início dos sinais clínicos. Nas necropsias as lesões eram de edema do mesentério, das paredes do abomaso e do rúmen, e das paredes da vesícula biliar, além de fígado firme e com aspecto marmorizado. Histologicamente havia no fígado proliferação de tecido conjuntivo fibroso, Two outbreaks of Senecio madagascariensis poisoning in cattle occurred in October 2013 in southern Brazil. Morbidity rate ranged were 3.2% and 6.1%, and lethality rate was 100%. A third case of poisoning occurred on a property in which out of 54 cattle one died with clinical signs of intoxication. In all cases, the cattle were in areas highly infested by S. madagascariensis that was in bloom. The clinical signs were diarrhea, tenesmus, opisthotonus, and progressive weight loss. Death occurred between 10 and 15 days after the onset of clinical signs. At necropsy, lesions were edema in the mesentery, in the wall of the rumen and abomasum, and in the walls of the gall bladder; the liver was firm with marbled aspect. Histologically, the liver had proliferation of fibrous connective tissue, especially in portal areas, hepatomegalocytosis, and bile duct hyperplasia. The observation of large number of S. madagascariensis in several farms in the counties of Arroio Grande, Pedro Osório and Capão do Leão reinforces that this plant is in the process of adaptation and dissemination in this region and that other outbreaks may occur in coming years. The cases reported here apparently resulted from the consumption of the plant during the fall/winter of 2013, when it was in bloom. The quantification of alkaloids in S. madagascariensis revealed the presence of 500 μg/g and 4000μg/g of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the dry plant from two properties. It is believed that the large amount of the plant in the areas where the animals were and the amount of pyrrolizidine alkaloids found were factors that contributed to the occurrence of outbreaks. Senecio madagascariensisINDEX TERMS: Poisonous plants, Senecio madagascariensis, Asteraceae, hepatotoxic plants, seneciosis, plant poisoning, cattle.

Experimental poisoning in broiler chickens by Senecio vernonioides, Senecio conyzaefolius and Senecio paulensis

“…Another factor involved could be the variation in the number of PAs present in these species when compared to S. vernonioides, which presented DPHA dose of 19,599μg/g, with S. conyzaefolius presenting 2,500μg/g and S. paulensis 157μg/g. Stigger et al (2014) observed macroscopic lesions in bovines naturally poisoned by S. madagascariensis with PA doses of 500μg/g, lower than that found in S. conyzaefolius. The appearance of these lesions could be related to the period and amount of plant consumed, because in that case, animals were food restricted.…”

Poisoning of cattle by Senecio spp. in Brazil: a review

“…In addition to the many cases of S. brasiliensis, cases of natural intoxication caused by S. madagascariensis have been increasing in southern Brazil (Cruz et al 2010, Stigger et al 2014). This plant is native to Madagascar and South Africa.…”

“…Depending on the source of information, there are between 90 (Cabrera 1957) and 128 (Motidome & Ferreira 1966) Senecio species in Brazil. Among them, nine have been reported as toxic to cattle: Senecio brasiliensis (Tokarnia & Döbereiner 1984, Méndez et al 1990, Driemeier et al 1991), S. cisplatinus, S. heterotrichius, S. selloi (Méndez et al 1990), S. oxyphyllus (Barros et al 1987a, S. madagascariensis (Cruz et al 2010, Stigger et al 2014, S. tweediei (Méndez & Riet-Correa 1993) and S. desiderabilis (Tokarnia et al 1990). The toxicity of latter was demonstrated only experimentally.…”

Seneciosis in cattle associated with ingestion of Senecio brasiliensis under different forms of consumption in Santa Catarina state, Brazil

“…It was first described in cattle by Tokarnia & Döbereiner (1984) and later by Méndez et al (1987), Barros et al (1987), and Driemeier et al (1991). Other species of this gender were also described as poisoning for cattle: Senecio cisplatinus, S. heterotrichius, S. selloi, S. leptolobus (Barros et al 1987, Méndez et al 1987, S. tweediei , S. oxyphyllus (Karam et al 2004), and S. madagascariensis (Cruz et al 2010, Karam et al 2011, Stigger et al 2014.…”