Effects of dietary supplementation with butylated hydroxyanisole, cysteine, and vitamins B on tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) toxicosis in ponies.
Dried tansy ragwort, which contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, was fed as 10% of a complete diet to ponies, with and without a mixture of additives. The additives provided a dietary supplement equivalent to 1% cysteine, 0.75% butylated hydroxyanisole, 200 micrograms of vitamin B12/kg of feed, and 5 mg of folic acid/kg of feed. The additives did not alter tansy ragwort toxicity, as assessed by survival time, liver changes, sulfobromophthalein (BSP) clearance rate, serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, and plasma amino acid patterns. In ponies fed tansy ragwort, BSP clearance rate was a sensitive indicator of liver damage, and decreased to about 20% of control values. gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase activities showed considerable variability, but generally were elevated in animals fed tansy ragwort. Liver iron and copper concentrations increased, and liver zinc concentrations decreased in tansy ragwort-fed ponies. Plasma amino acid patterns in tansy ragwort-fed ponies showed changes typical of those observed in liver disease.
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000840:Anisoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002083:Butylated Hydroxyanisole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000840:Anisoles; D002083:Butylated Hydroxyanisole; D003545:Cysteine; D014805:Vitamin B 12