Cynoglossum officinale (hound's-tongue)--a cause of pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning in horses.
The death of 10 horses was attributed to feeding dried grass hay containing hound's-tongue, Cynoglossum officinale. Affected horses developed weight loss, icterus, photosensitization, and hepatic encephalopathy. Histologic examination of the liver of 3 of the horses revealed megalocytosis, biliary hyperplasia, and fibrosis characteristic of pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning. Hound's-tongue was found to contain large quantities (0.6% to 2.1%, dry matter basis) of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which, when fed to a pony for 20 days, caused liver fibrosis and biliary hyperplasia.
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000506:poisoning*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006736:Horses; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000662:veterinary*; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000506:poisoning*
D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids