Pesq. Vet. Bras. 37(2):110-114, fevereiro 2017 DOI: 10.1590/S0100-736X2017000200003 Spontaneous poisoning by Prosopis juliflora (Leguminosae) in sheep1 Valdir M. Almeida2, Brena P. Rocha2 3, Rosane M.T. Medeiros4, Franklin Riet-Correa5, Hisadora A.S. Chaves6, Givaldo B. Silva Filho6 , James A. Pfister6* ABSTRACT.- and Fábio S. Mendonça H.A.S., Silva Filho G.B. & Mendonça F.S. 2017. Spontaneous poisoning by Prosopis juliflo- ra (Leguminosae)Almeida in V.M.,sheep. Rocha Pesquisa B.P., PfisterVeterinária J.A., MedeirosBrasileira R.M.T.,37(2):110-114. Riet-Correa Universidade F., Chaves Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] Pro- sopis juliflora - The aim of this paper is to describe the first report of spontaneous poisoning by in sheep. From flock of 500 sheep at risk, four adult male sheep were affec ted. One died spontaneously and three other were examined, euthanized and necropsied. Neurologic examination focused particularly on motor and sensory-cranial nerve function, atcomplete least 80% blood of P. counts, juliflora serum biochemistry and urinalysis were done. The evolution of the increasedisease was in creatine chronic andphosphokinase to present signs levels. of poisoning,Clinical signs sheep included had to ingestdrooling a diet of saliva, containing dro- pods during 21 months. The biochemistry revealed a substantial pped jaw, tongueP. juliflora protrusion and loss of food from the mouth. Gross and histological lesions were similar to those previously reported in cattleP. juliflora and goats. poisoning Sheep inare ruminants. more resistant to poisoning by considering that it took 21 months of pod consumption to show INDEX TERMS: Poisonous plants, Prosopis juliflora, Leguminosae, mesquite beans, plant poisoning, clinicalneuronal signs. vacuolation, There sheep.is no specific treatment for RESUMO.- [Intoxicação espontânea por Prosopis juliflo- ovino morreu espontaneamente e os outros foram exami- ra (Leguminosae) em ovinos.] O objetivo deste trabalho nados, eutanasiados e necropsiados. Realizaram-se exames é descrever o primeiro caso de intoxicação espontânea por clínicos direcionados particularmente para funções de ner- Prosopis juliflora em ovinos. De um total de 500 ovinos sob vos motores e sensoriais-craniais. Avaliou-se hemograma, risco, quatro ovinos machos adultos foram afetados. Um foi crônica e para apresentar sinais de intoxicação os ovinos perfil bioquímico sérico e urinálise. A evolução da doença 1 Recebido em 8 de setembro de 2015. tiveram que ingerir uma dieta contendo 80% das vagens de Aceito para publicação em 25 de agosto de 2016. P. Juliflora durante 21 meses. Os níveis de creatinofosfoqui- 2 consistiram em sialorreia, mandíbula pendulosa, protusão Rua Programa Dom Manoel de dePós-Graduação Medeiros, s/n, em Dois Ciência Irmãos, Veterinária. Recife, PE 52171-900,Departamento Brazil. de danase língua estavam e perda significativamente de alimento pela elevados. boca. As Os lesões sinais macros clínicos- Medicina3 Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE). cópicas e microscópicas foram similares àquelas reportadas United States. Department of Agriculture, 1150 E. 1400 N., Logan, UT 84341, Poisonous USA. Plant Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, previamente em bovinos e caprinos. Ovinos são mais resis- 4 - tentes à intoxicação por P. Juliflora, tendo em vista que foi versidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus de Patos, Patos, PB 58700- 000, Hospital Brazil. Veterinário, Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural (CSTR), Uni 5 Estación Experimental La Estanzuela, INIA, Ruta 50, Km 11, Colonia, necessário 21 meses de consumoP. Julifloradas vagens em ruminantes.para que os ovinos apresentassem sinais clínicos. Não há tratamento 6 TERMOS DE INDEXAÇÃO: Plantas tóxicas, Prosopis juliflora, Legu- Laboratório de Diagnóstico Animal, Departamento de Morfologia e específico para a intoxicação por FisiologiaUruguay. Animal, UFRPE, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil. *Corresponding minosae, algaroba, intoxicação por planta, vacuolização neuronal, author: [email protected] ovinos. 110 Spontaneous poisoning by Prosopis juliflora (Leguminosae) in sheep 111 INTRODUCTION Prosopis juliflora - philous tree that originated from Peru, Chile and Argenti- scarce and poorly distributed rainfall. The characteristic (mesquite beans) (Fig.1A,B) is a xero vegetation is savanna. The property consists of < 100 ha, Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, and the and was grazed with bred Santa Inês sheep. The flock Cenwas- na. The tree wasP. later juliflora introduced into east and southern chruskept in ciliaris a semi-confinement system; in the early morning- throughout Western Asia, Africa and arid and semi-arid re- redthey in were the farm.loose to graze in a pasture of buffel grass ( Caribbean. Now occurs between 35°N and 4°S ) and in late afternoon received ration prepa exposed to the plant and presented clinical signs of poison- gionsDespite in the its Americas, nutritional from value, the southwestern P. juliflora United States From a flock of 500 sheep at risk, four sheep were highly- to Central Chile and Argentina (Silva 1988). - pods are known ined,ing. One euthanized affected andsheep necropsied died spontaneously during the visit. two Fourweeks rams be to be toxic, mainly for cattle and goats (Tabosa et al. 2000, fore the technical visit, and other three animals were exam Tabosa et al. 2006). In horses the pods of this tree causes impaction (Pessoa et al. 2012), whereas P.sheep juliflora are reportedin cattle used as breeders were routinely kept housed in single stalls to be resistant to the poisoning (Riet-Correa et al. 2012). containingin a confinement a mixture system. of 80% Due ofto driedthe long ground period pods of drought of P. ju- Spontaneous poisoning by the pods of lifloraand scarcity of fodder, all the flock started to receive a diet- inwas northeastern reported in USABrazil. (Kingsbury The spontaneous 1964), in goatsor experimental in Peru and in cattle (Câmara et al. 2009) and goatsP. juliflora (Lima has et al.not 2004) been , 10% of corn and 10% of wheat. The feeding man reported, thus the aim of this paper is to describe the clin- buffelagement grass of ramsin the was trough. basically composed by this ration. In ical,poisoning epidemiologic of sheep andby the pathologic pods of aspects of spontaneous the Justend theof the rams day presented they received clinical a little signs amount of poisoning. of chopped The- P. juliflora in sheep. P. juliflora pods. The se signs were observed 21 months after the consumption of poisoning by MATERIALSthe pods of AND METHODS this diet with a high concentration of - Prosopis juliflo- rams clinically examined showed depression, drowsiness, ra Epidemiological and clinical data of poisoning by dysphagia and motor and sensory cranial nerve dysfunc- in sheep were obtained from the owner and the veterinarian tion. Beyond the clinical signs mentioned above there was responsibleo 59’ 24” S for/ 36 theo flock during a technical visit in a farm at the decreased response of the facial skin to pinprick, nystag region of Ipojuca Valley, state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil- mus, head tilting with loss of food while chewing, slack jaw,- (7 29’ 47” W). droopy ears, decreased tongue tone when it was pulled out,- Neurologic examinations performed focused particularly on mo cordingand tongue to the protrusion veterinarian (Fig.2A,B). of the Otherfarm the clinical sheep signs that inclu died tor and sensory cranial nerve functions. Complete blood count,- ded dehydration, polydipsia, oliguria, and rumen atony. Ac serum biochemistry and urinalysis were made. Two 10mL tubes were used, one with anticoagulant sodium ethylenediaminetetra spontaneously had these same clinical signs. acetate (EDTA) in a 10% aqueous solution and the other without The values of hematology, urinalysis, AST, GGT, urea, the additive, were used. In the tube with no anticoagulant, serum was separated by centrifugation at 2500rpm for 10 minutes, and creatinine, and direct and indirect bilirubin were within- kept at -20°C until analysis. normal ranges. Total plasma protein (average = 11.0g/dL)- The biochemical tests were performed using semi-automated creased.and fibrinogen CPK normal (average values = 0.9 range g/dL) 8.1-12.9 were U/L,slightly Total increa plas- commercial enzyme kits for aspartate aminotransferase (AST),- sed. Creatine kinase (average = 373U/L) was markely in gramcreatine consisted phosphokinase of determining (CPK), the gammapacked cellglutamyl volume, transferase the hemo- (GGT), urea, creatinine, direct and indirect bilirubin. The hemo ma protein range 6.0-7.9g/dL and fibrinogen 0.1-0.5g/dL- ded(Lopes the et plan al. 2007). of occlusion facing the palatal plane and the- globin dosage, RBC and total leukocyte counts, and the differential At necropsy the molars teeth were tortuous, had excee leukocyte count. Urine was collected in clean glass. The examination of the urine consisted of physical assessment (volume, color, odor and- appearance, consistency, presence of sediments and density) and dry chemistry reagent strips were used for the chemistry evalua tion of the samples according Lopes et al. (2007). - During necropsy, tissues from abdominal, thoracic cavities, formalintongue and solution. masseter, Brain, pterygoid, spinal cord, styloglossal, trigeminal hypoglossal, ganglia, periph bucci- nator, and geniohyoid muscles were collected and fixed in 10%