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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #185789
Title: INTOXICATION BY IPOMOEA SERICOPHYLLA AND IPOMOEA RIEDELII IN GOATS IN THE STATE OF PARAIBA, NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Author
item BARBOSA, R - UNIV. RURAL DE PERNAMBUCO
item RIET-CORREA, FRANKLIN - UNIV. FED. CAMPINO GRANDE
item MEDEIROS, ROSANE - UNIV. FED. CAMPINO GRANDE
item LIMA, E - UNIV. RURAL DE PERNAMBUCO
item GIMENO, J - UNIV. NACIONAL DE LA PLAT
item BARROS, S - UNIV. FEDERAL PELOTAS
item Molyneux, Russell
item Gardner, Dale

Submitted to: Toxicon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/16/2005
Publication Date: 3/15/2006
Citation: Barbosa, R.C., Riet-Correa, F., Medeiros, R.M., Lima, E.F., Gimeno, J.E., Barros, S.S., Molyneux, R.J., Gardner, D.R. 2006. Intoxication by ipomoea sericophylla and ipomoea riedelii in goats in the state of paraiba, northeastern brazil. Toxicon. Volume:47:371-379.

Interpretive Summary: A disease of the nervous system was observed in goats from two farms of the semiarid region of the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. Clinical signs were rough hair coat, depression, weight loss, and nervous signs including difficulties in rising, ataxia, hypermetria, wide-based stance, intention tremors, spastic paresis, nystagmus, head tilting and occasionally other signs of cranial nerves impairment. Ipomoea sericophylla was found in one farm and I. riedelii in the other. Both plants were administered experimentally to five goats each. Two goats ingesting fresh I. riedelii and two ingesting fresh I. sericophylla as the only food had clinical signs 11-22 days after ingestion. Two goats received I. sericophylla or I. riedelii ad libitum and concentrated food (1% body weight); the goat ingesting I. sericophylla showed clinical signs after 28 days of consumption, and the goat ingesting I. riedelii had no clinical signs after 60 days. Two goats received dry I. sericophylla at the daily dose of 4g/kg bw, and other two received daily doses of 3g/kg bw of dry I. riedelii. The four goats showed clinical signs after 18-26 days of ingestion. Clinical signs in most goats were similar than those observed in spontaneous cases. The two goats ingesting fresh I. riedelii as the only food died spontaneously 23 days after started ingestion. The chemical analysis of I. sericophylla and I. riedelii showed 0.11% and 0.14% of swainsonine, respectively. The latter also contained calystegines B1, B2 and C1. It is concluded that I. sericophylla and I. riedelli cause a lysosomal storage disease.

Technical Abstract: Poisoning in goats is reported from eating two species of plants belonging to the sweet potato family. The poisoning causes damage to the nervous system, resulting in tremors, depression, and difficulty in rising and walking. Analysis for compounds that might be responsible for these problems showed the presence of a similar pattern of compounds in both plant species. These compounds alter the way in which sugars and proteins are used in the basic functioning of living cells. One of the compounds is the same as that responsible for poisoning by locoweeds.