title: A krimpsiekte-like syndrome in small stock poisoned by Ornithogalum toxicarium Archer & Archer.
abstract: Krimpsiekte (the syndrome associated with chronic cardiac glycoside poisoning) was purportedly induced by Ornithlogalum toxicarium in the Karas mountains area of Keetmanshoop, Namibia. This chinkerinchee species was previously linked to a condition known as 'kwylbek' krimpsiekte in small stock in the Beaufort West district of the Western Cape Province, South Africa. In a dosing trial, respiratory distress, tachycardia and sternal recumbency were observed in 2 sheep drenched with fresh plant material. A fluorescence polarisation immunoassay (FPIA) detected the presence of a substance that cross-reacted with digoxin antibodies in some of the plant material collected at Keetmanshoop and Beaufort West. This is the first time that apparent cardiac glycoside poisoning was induced by a southern African chinkerinchee species. The presence of the cardiac glycoside-like substance in O. toxicarium requires further chemical verification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Botha
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van der Lugt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Archer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002301:Cardiac Glycosides / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D016231:Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay / Q000662:veterinary; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000506:poisoning*; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D002301:Cardiac Glycosides