title: Heliotropium europaeum poisoning in cattle and analysis of its pyrrolizidine alkaloid profile.
abstract: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are carcinogenic and genotoxic phytochemicals found exclusively in angiosperms. The ingestion of PA-containing plants often results in acute and chronic toxicities in man and livestock, targeting mainly the liver. During February 2014, a herd of 15-18-month-old mixed-breed beef cattle (n = 73) from the Galilee region in Israel was accidently fed hay contaminated with 12% Heliotropium europaeum (average total PA intake was 33 mg PA/kg body weight/d). After 42 d of feed ingestion, sudden death occurred over a time period of 63 d with a mortality rate of 33%. Necropsy and histopathological examination revealed fibrotic livers and moderate ascites, as well as various degrees of hyperplasia and fibrosis of bile duct epithelial cells. Elevated γ-glutamyl-transferase and alkaline phosphatase levels were indicative of severe liver damage. Comprehensive PA profile determination of the contaminated hay and of native H. europaeum by LC-MS/MS revealed the presence of 30 PAs and PA-N-oxides, including several newly reported PAs and PA-N-oxides of the rinderine and heliosupine class. Heliotrine- and lasiocarpine-type PAs constituted 80% and 18% of the total PAs, respectively, with the N-oxides being the most abundant form (92%). The PA profile of the contaminated hay showed very strong resemblance to that of H. europaeum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology and ‡Department of Pathology, Kimron Veterinary Institute , Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Jakob Avi
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shimshoni
authors.forename: Patrick P J
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: Arieli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouznach
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Edery
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pasval
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barel
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abd-El Khaliq
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perl
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D028162:Heliotropium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids
keywords: Heliotropium europaeum; beef cattle; intoxication; pyrrolizidine alkaloids