Diterpenoid alkaloid toxicosis in cattle in the Swiss Alps.
Between 1995 and 1999, several cattle of a group of 80 heifers died acutely on a pasture in the Swiss Alps. The animals were Found dead between July 9th and 15th eachyear. Only 1 animal was examined on post-mortem, and no significant lesions were found. Aconitum vulpera, A napellus, and Delphinium elatum were identified in the pasture. The presence of diterpenoid alkaloid-containing plants in the pasture, the rapid death of the animals, and the lack of pathologic lesions suggested diterpenoid alkaloid toxicosis as a cause of death. A multiresidue alkaloid screen using gas chromatography with a mass spectrometric detector was employed on rumen, abomasal, small intestine, and cecal contents from the I heifer. Deltaline, deltamine, and lycoctonine were identified. Aconitine was found in all gastrointestinal samples using a sensitive and highly specific liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry methodology for aconitine analysis. The findings ofditerpenoid alkaloids in the gastrointestinal contents confirmed exposure to Delphinium and Aconitum spp, possibly resulting in sudden death.
Puschner
Birgit
B
California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System-Toxicology Laboratory, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
Booth
Marcia C
MC
Tor
Elizabeth R
ER
Odermatt
Arnold
A
D000157:Aconitine / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
D000470:Alkaloids; D004224:Diterpenes; D000157:Aconitine