Manchester wasting disease: a calcinosis caused by a pasture grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) in Jamaica

Solanum glaucophyllum intoxication in goats: Case study

Solanum glaucophyllum is a toxic plant with calcinogenic effect that causes enzootic calcinosis (EC) characterized by soft tissue metastatic mineralization mainly in cattle and rarely sheep, buffaloes, pigs, horses, and goats. We describe an outbreak of EC in a herd of 64 goats due to S. glaucophyllum consumption. Thirty-four goats were affected exhibiting hirsutism, stiffening, kyphosis and emaciation. Twelve goats died. Grossly, tissue mineralization was observed in the aorta and carotid arteries, lungs, and heart. Lesions were characterized by multiple rough white plaques, and hardened tissues with loss of elasticity. Microscopically, multisystemic mineralization was observed in aorta and carotid arteries, heart, lung, abomasum, intestine, spleen, lymph nodes, kidney, spleen, and meninges, characterized by extensive granular basophilic deposits of tunica media and/or intima of blood vessels; confirmed as calcium salt deposits with Von Kossa stain. We conclude that ingestion of S. glaucophyllum can cause EC in goats. Though EC is rare in goats under some conditions such as heavy drought and abundant S. glaucophyllum exposure disease can develop.

Effect of the addition of different concentrations of Solanum glaucophyllum desf. extract on chondrocyte cultures from the growth cartilage of newborn rats

Solanum glaucophyllum Desf. Is a calcinogenic plant responsible for enzootic calcinosis that affects ruminants and causes alterations in bone and cartilaginous tissues, among others. It is believed that changes in cartilage tissue, with reduced bone growth, are due to hypercalcitoninism, caused by excess vitamin D. However, we hypothesized that S. glaucophyllum Desf. Can act directly on chondrocytes and therefore, chondrocyte cultures from the epiphysis of the long bones of newborn rats were used as a model to elucidate the direct effects of S. glaucophyllum Desf. On bone growth. Plant samples were collected from Cañuelas, Argentina. An aliquot of the plant extract was used to quantify vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3). The effects of the three concentrations of the plant extract were tested in cultures of chondrocytes extracted from the epiphyses of the long bones of 32 three-day-old Wistar rats. A control group (without extract treatment), and three groups treated with different concentrations of plant extract were formed: group 1 (100 μL/L); group 2 (1 mL/L), and group 3 (5 mL/L), containing respectively 1 × 10^-9 M, 1 × 10^-8 M, and 5 × 10^-8 M of 1,25(OH)2D3. After 7, 14, and 21 days of culture, MTT assay for cell viability, alkaline phosphatase activity, and quantification of the percentage of areas with glycosaminoglycans (GAG) stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) were performed. On day 7, all chondrocytes in group 3, that is, those with the highest concentration of plant extract, died. On days 14 and 21, groups 1 and 2 showed a significant reduction in chondrocyte viability compared to the control. At 7, 14, and 21 days, groups 1 and 2 showed significantly lower alkaline phosphatase activity than the control. On day 21, group 2 showed a significant reduction in areas with PAS + GAGs. There were no significant differences between the groups in the expression of gene transcripts for Sox9, Col2, ColX, and aggrecan. The S. glaucophyllum Desf. Extract directly affected growing rat chondrocytes by reducing viability, alkaline phosphatase activity, and GAG synthesis without altering the expression of gene transcripts for Sox9, Col2, ColX, and aggrecan, which may be one of the mechanisms by which there is a reduction in bone growth in animals intoxicated by the plant.

Nierembergia rivularis poisoning in cattle

Nierembergia rivularis causes enzootic calcinosis (EC) in sheep. In this work, we describe EC caused by N. rivularis in cattle. For 3 years cattle grazing in 7 paddocks were evaluated. Cows with clinical signs compatible with EC were detected in only one paddock with a morbidity of 9.4%, 24.5%, and 34.5% during the summer of 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. Affected cows weighed 55 kg less (p < 0.01) than cows without signs of the same paddock, and 19.6% of these cows had hypercalcemia and/or hyperphosphatemia. Typical soft tissue calcification was observed in 3 autopsied cows. Additionally to the arterial calcification, 2 cows had multiple mineralized foci in several veins. In the Paddock A where EC occurred, the pasture contained 7-12% N. rivularis. In the other 6 paddocks (Paddocks B-G) where EC had not occurred, the pasture had 0.2-3.5% N. rivularis. Cows grazing in Paddock A had ∼30% lower pregnancy rates than cows from Paddocks B-G. At the slaughterhouse, the carcasses of 45 cows from Paddock A weighed 17.6% (p < 0.01) less than 93 carcasses of cows from Paddocks B-G. Furthermore, the carcasses of cows from Paddock A were classified as low quality. Eight cows with EC signs from Paddock A and 10 cows without EC signs from Paddocks B-G were removed to a Lolium multiflorum pasture. After 120 days of grazing, the cows from Paddock A gained 45.2% less (p < 0.01) live weight than cows from Paddocks B-G. Poisoning with N. rivularis may cause significant economic losses in Uruguay due to low fertility rates and weight gain of affected cattle.

Enzootic calcinosis in ruminants: A review

Enzootic calcinosis (EC), is a chronic disease, caused by toxic plants, which has mainly affected ruminants for more than 100 years. It is characterized by a soft tissue calcification, hypercalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypoparathiroidism, hypercalcitoninism, osteonecrosis, and osteopetrosis. The toxic compound reported in some of these plants are 1,25(OH)₂D₃ glycosides. Characterization of calcinogenic principles were performed with Solanum glaucophyllum, Trisetum flavescens, Cestrum diurnum, and Stenotaphrum secundatum. Other plant species involved in EC are: Nierembergia rivularis, Nierembergia veitchii, Solanum torvum, and Solanum stuckertii. Clinical and pathological findings are well characterized. We present different aspects of the pathogenic mechanism of EC, including genetic modulation, expression of bone proteins, cellular de-differentiation of arterial smooth muscle cells, phenotypic changes, production of a calcifiable matrix, and modulation of the calcium and phosphorus balance. The use of comparative pathology can bring significant advances in the understanding of the pathogenic mechanism. In this review we present a broad approach to the different aspects of intoxication: history of EC on different continents; plant species, distribution and morphology; toxic principle; pathogenesis; epidemiology; clinical signs; diagnosis; and control and prophylaxis.

Intoxicação natural por Solanum glaucophyllum (Solanaceae) em búfalos no Pantanal Matogrossense

Descreve-se a ocorrência de calcinose enzoótica em búfalos no município de Poconé, Mato Grosso, associado ao consumo de Solanum glaucophyllum (Sg) [=Solanum malacoxylon]. Os casos foram observados entre os anos de 2007 e 2009. Em um rebanho de 40 búfalos, cinco apresentaram emagrecimento progressivo, dorso arqueado, marcha rígida, por vezes com dificuldade para se levantar e locomover, permanecendo apoiando sobre os carpos.Três animais recuperaram-se parcialmente e dois foram eutanasiados in extremis. Os principais achados de necropsia foram calcificação de tecidos moles, principalmente em artérias de grande e médio calibres. A presença de S. glaucophyllum nas pastagens, os sinais clínicos, além dos achados ultrassonográficos e patológicos envolvendo múltiplas calcificações de tendões e outros tecidos, são compatíveis com intoxicação por Solanum glaucophyllum.

Screening of Vitamin D activity (VDA) of Solanum glaucophyllum leaves measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA)

The ingestion of Solanum glaucophyllum (SG) causes a calcinosis of cattle named Enteque Seco (ES). The toxic principle is the 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3), mainly conjugated as glycoside. This study aims to validate a simple novel method of evaluation of the VDA of SG leaves. Aqueous extracts of SG were purified using C(18) minicolumns and assayed by RIA with an antibody raised in rabbits by injection of the acid-C22, 1alpha-(OH)Vitamin D(3). Data were expressed as glycoside equivalent to 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) in ng/g of dry leaves. We compared this data with 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) levels measured, in the same samples, by liquid chromatography (HPLC) after enzyme cleavage. This procedure involved the incubation of SG leaves with rumen fluid, followed by C(18)-OH solid phase extraction. The 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) fraction was run by HPLC and detection was achieved using a photodiode array detector. Data were expressed as micrograms of 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3)/g dry leaves. A significant regression of 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) levels (Y) as a function of glycoside RIA 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) equivalents (X) was found: Y=12.02+0.35X [R=0.81; P=0,0002; N=15], allowing us to conclude that this novel assay could be used to estimate the amount of this active principle contained in SG leaves.

Collagenous and elastic system fibres in the aorta of cattle poisoned by Solanum glaucophyllum

The proportions of fibres of the collagenous and elastic systems were measured in the aortas of three normal heifers and in nine heifers given the calcinogenic plant Solanum glaucophyllum for 15, 30 or 60 days. There were decreases in the amount of collagen relative to reticulin, and in the proportion of elastic fibres which were related to the period of dosing. These changes may have an adverse influence on the animals' cardiovascular function.