Poisonous plants: Biomarkers for diagnosis

Authors: Panter, Kip; Welch, Kevin; Gardner, Dale

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2013
Publication Date: 1/1/2014
Citation: Panter, K.E., Welch, K.D., Gardner, D.R. 2014. Poisonous plants: Biomarkers for diagnosis. In: Gupta, R.C., editor. Biomarkers in Toxicology. Oxford, UK: Elsevier. p. 563-589. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2012-0-01373-7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/C2012-0-01373-7

Interpretive Summary: In the western U.S. toxic plants continue to cause losses, sometimes catastrophic, to ranchers and their families. Poisonous plants and the extensive diversity of secondary compounds they produce can be detrimental to human and animal health causing poisoning and death. However, under controlled circumstances, i.e. herbal products, nutraceuticals and/or pharmaceuticals these same secondary compounds may provide health benefits to both animals and humans. Biomarkers to define poisonous plant toxicoses are generally lacking and diagnosis relies on history and association with the offending plants. Researchers at the USDA-ARS-Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory in Logan, UT continue to expand efforts to identify diagnostic tests and biomarkers to assist in identifying the etiology of toxicoses from poisonous plants in animals and to provide methods, treatments and management to reduce or eliminate losses from toxic plants. This chapter provides an up to date summary of the methods/biomarkers to evaluate livestock poisoning by numerous poisonous plants.

Technical Abstract: In the western U.S. toxic plants continue to cause losses, sometimes catastrophic, to ranchers and their families. Poisonous plants and the extensive diversity of secondary compounds they produce can be detrimental to human and animal health causing poisoning and death. However, under controlled circumstances, i.e. herbal products, nutraceuticals and/or pharmaceuticals these same secondary compounds may provide health benefits to both animals and humans. Biomarkers to define poisonous plant toxicoses are generally lacking and diagnosis relies on history and association with the offending plants. Researchers at the USDA-ARS-Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory in Logan, UT continue to expand efforts to identify diagnostic tests and biomarkers to assist in identifying the etiology of toxicoses from poisonous plants in animals and to provide methods, treatments and management to reduce or eliminate losses from toxic plants.