The toxicity of<i>Datura stramonium</i>(thorn apple) to horses.

Williams, Stephen W.; Scott, Paul M.

doi:10.1080/00480169.1984.11728696

Cited by 14 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…An anticholinergic sign is the constriction of urinary bladder sphincter, resulting in the accumulation of urine, correlating with observed anuria 2,11,14,16,29 . Our observations on the lack of thirst, urination and defaecation are in accordance with the literature 4,11,13-15,17,28,35,45 but differ from cited cases of intoxication 44 , accompanied with polyuria, polydipsia, and defaecation. In our opinion, these are characteristic features that counteract the intoxication.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…The increased heart rate observed by us and by other authors 2,4,10,11,14,15,17,30,44 is due to removal of the parasympathetic component of vagal block and correlated with observed histopathological alterations (granular dystrophy, cloudy swelling, hyalinisation of the myocardium, hyperaemia, haemorrhages with interstitial oedema). The observed polypnoea with dyspnoea is in accordance with data from literature 4,10,11,14,15,17,30,44 , and are probably a consequence of the colic seizure and corresponds to morphological changes in lung parenchyma -the strong congestive hyperaemia and infiltration of the interstitium with erythrocytes. The dilatation of the pupils is a clinical sign of this intoxication 1,6,14,22,28,29,32,37,39 and was a further manifestation of parasympathetic block 6,10,11,14,15,30,34 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…In horses, poisoning has occurred after ingestion of Jimson weed seeds 4,39,44 and dried tef hay contaminated with young Datura plants (Datura stramonium and D. ferox) 28 . There are no published reports of cases of intoxication in horses from freshly cut Jimson weed (Datura stramonium)-contaminated maize intended for ensiling.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Clinical and pathological studies on intoxication in horses from freshly cut Jimson weed (Datura stramonium)-contaminated maize intended for ensiling : clinical communication

Binev¹,

Valchev²,

Nikolov³

2006

J. S. Afr. Vet. Assoc.

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Spontaneous intoxication in 34 horses after ingesting freshly harvested maize that was to be used for ensiling and heavily contaminated with young Datura stramonium plants, is described. The clinical status of all horses was monitored for 7 days, and included body (rectal) temperature, respiratory and heart rates, colour and moistness of visible mucosae, changes in pupil size, appetite, thirst, general behaviour, locomotion, sensory perceptions, urination and defaecation. The intoxication was accompanied by altered clinical status, namely mild hyperthermia, tachycardia, polypnoea, dyspnoea and shallow breathing, mydriasis, dry oral, rectal, vaginal and nasal mucosae, acute gastric dilatation and severe intestinal gas accumulation, anorexia to complete refusal of feed, decreased or absent thirst, absence of defaecation and urination. As a result of the treatment, the clinical parameters normalised between days 2 and 5. Necropsies and pathological studies were performed on two horses that died, revealing toxic liver dystrophy, cardiac lesions and substantial dystrophic and necrotic processes in the kidneys. The observed clinical signs, the pathomorphological changes and the applied therapy could be used in the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of Jimson weed intoxication.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

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Clinical and pathological studies on intoxication in horses from freshly cut Jimson weed (Datura stramonium)-contaminated maize intended for ensiling : clinical communication

Binev¹,

Valchev²,

Nikolov³

2006

J. S. Afr. Vet. Assoc.

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“…In horses the clinical signs include anorexia, diarrhoea, hyperexcitability, mydriasis, polyuria, staggering and general incoordination, intermittent muscular spasms and rigors (Barney and Wilson, 1963;Williams and Scott, 1984). The most important complication in the horse is the occurrence of (often fatal) spastic constipation colic, with and without an ileus, which is related to the unique anatomic and physiologic features of the equine intestinal tract.…”

Section: Adverse Effects In Horsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tropane alkaloids (from Datura sp.) as undesirable substances in animal feed - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain

2008

EFSA Journal

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SUMMARYThe term tropane alkaloids refers to a group of more than 200 compounds best known for their occurrence in the family Solanaceae comprising over 100 genera and 3000 plant species. They have in common a two-ringed structure characterized by a pyrrolidine and a piperidine ring sharing a single nitrogen atom and two carbons atoms. The nitrogen atom at the end of the molecule, which characterizes the compounds as alkaloids, is in this group characteristically methylated. The most important natural tropane alkaloids are (-)-hyoscyamine and (-)-scopolamine (also known as hyoscine). High concentrations of these alkaloids have been found particularly in Datura stramonium and Datura ferox, as well as in Datura innoxia. The pattern of tropane alkaloids differs significantly and in Datura stramonium (also known as thorn apple or Jimson weed) hyoscyamine prevails in most parts of the plant, whereas in Datura ferox scopolamine is the major alkaloid Tropane alkaloids as undesirable substances in animal feedThe EFSA Journal (2008) 691, 2-55 produced. Datura plants are toxic for animals if ingested in larger amounts. Their seeds, which contain significant amounts of hyoscyamine and scopolamine, can be found as botanical impurities in feed materials, particularly in soybean and linseed products.Very little information on the actual contamination of feed materials is available, and previous reports on adverse health effects in animals refer in most cases to accidental intoxications following the consumption of Datura plants rather than to the contamination of linseed and sobean contaning feed materials. Hence no conclusive exposure assessment could be presented for farm animals.Overall, pigs have been shown to be among the most sensitive species to Datura poisoning. A worst case exposure estimate indicated that adverse pharmacological effects in pigs following exposure to Datura ferox seeds, mainly containing scopolamine, can not be entirely excluded at the current statutory limits of 3000 mg/kg feed. However, the limited data also suggested that it is not likely that the presence of Datura stramonium impurities in animals feed up to the current statutory level of 1000 mg/kg would present a risk to animal health.The mechanism of action of tropane alkaloids relates to their competitive antagonism at muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, preventing the binding of acetylcholine. According to the specificity and selectivity of muscarinergic acetylcholine receptors in different organs, the functions of smooth muscles and exocrine gland cells, as well as the heart rate, respiration and functions in the central nervous system are modulated. Certain tropanes such as atropine (the racemic mixture of (-)-and (+)hyoscyamine) as well as scopolamine (mainly as butylscopolamine bromide) are used in human and veterinary therapy for a variety of related indications. Reports of poisoning of livestock and experimental feeding studies describe as most common symptoms associated with tropane alkaloids exposure dryness of the mucosa in the uppe...

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“…Horses are sensitive to atropine (EMEA, 1998a), and there are several reports of toxicosis following ingestion of Jimson weed seeds (Barney and Wilson, 1963;Williams and Scott, 1984;Schulman and Bolton, 1998) (Binev et al, 2006). In the latter case, clinical symptoms included hyperthermia, tachycardia, polypnoea, with dyspnoea, acute gastric dilation, secondary intestinal gas accumulation and complete refusal of feed.…”

Section: Horsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientific Opinion on Tropane alkaloids in food and feed

2013

EFS2

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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the risks to human and animal health related to the presence of tropane alkaloids (TAs) in food and feed. TAs are secondary metabolites which occur in several plant families. Although more than 200 different TAs have been identified in various plants, respective data on toxicity and occurrence in food and feed are limited. Therefore, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) could only perform a risk assessment on (-)-hyoscyamine and (-)-scopolamine, the two TAs for which occurrence and toxicity data were available. Since the pharmacological effects of (-)-hyoscyamine and (-)-scopolamine occur within a short time after administration, the CONTAM Panel concluded that it was appropriate to establish an Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) for these substances. Based on the results for decreased heart rate in a human volunteer study, the CONTAM Panel established a group ARfD of 0.016 µg/kg body weight (b.w.) expressed as the sum of (-)-hyoscyamine and (-)-scopolamine, assuming equivalent potency. Results on TAs in 124 food and 611 feed samples were collected in two Member States. Most of the food and feed samples were left-censored (below limit of detection/limit of quantification). A reliable exposure estimate was only possible for one food and one age class (toddlers). Based on the limited information, the CONTAM Panel concluded that the dietary exposure of toddlers could be up to seven times the group ARfD and could exceed the group ARfD on approximately 11 to 18 % of consumption days. TA toxicosis in livestock and companion animals is relatively rare. © European SUMMARYFollowing a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the risks to human and animal health related to the presence of tropane alkaloids (TA) in food and feed.TAs are secondary metabolites which naturally occur in plants of several families including Brassicaceae, Solanaceae (e.g. mandrake, henbane, deadly nightshade, Jimson weed) and Erythroxylaceae (including coca). The TAs are found in all parts of the plants and are responsible for the toxic effects of some of these plants. TAs contain an azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane ring structure. The common structural element is the tropane skeleton, (1R,5S)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane. The group of TAs comprises more than 200 compounds and the wide range of compounds occurring especially in the Solanaceae family arises from the esterification of tropine with a variety of acids, such as acetic acid, propanoic acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, 2-methylbutyric acid, tiglic acid, (+)-α-hydroxy-β-phenylpropionic acid, tropic acid, and atropic acid.Although more than 200 different TAs were so far identified in various plants, respective data on their occurrence in food and feed and on toxicity are limited. The most studied TAs are (-)-hyoscyamine and (-)-scopolamine, which in contrast to the (+...

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The toxicity ofDatura stramonium(thorn apple) to horses.

Cited by 14 publications

References 0 publications

Clinical and pathological studies on intoxication in horses from freshly cut Jimson weed (Datura stramonium)-contaminated maize intended for ensiling : clinical communication

Clinical and pathological studies on intoxication in horses from freshly cut Jimson weed (Datura stramonium)-contaminated maize intended for ensiling : clinical communication

Tropane alkaloids (from Datura sp.) as undesirable substances in animal feed - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain

Scientific Opinion on Tropane alkaloids in food and feed

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