It is well known that several of the swainsonine-containing plant species found widespread around the world have a negative economic impact in each country.In Argentina, most of the information on the poisonous plant species that produce α-mannosidosis is published in Spanish and thus not available to most Englishspeaking researchers interested in toxic plants. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the information about swainsonine-containing plants in Argentina, which are extensively distributed throughout different ecoregions of the country. To date, fi ve species from three genera have been shown to induce α-mannosidosis in livestock in Argentina: Ipomoea carnea subsp. fi stulosa, Ipomoea hieronymi subsp. calchaquina (Convolvulaceae), Astragalus garbancillo, Astragalus pehuenches (Fabaceae), and Sida rodrigoi (Malvaceae). These species contain the indolizidine alkaloid swainsonine, which inhibits the lysosomal enzyme α-mannosidase and consequently affects glycoprotein metabolism, resulting in partially metabolized sugars. The prolonged consumption of these poisonous plants produces progressive weight loss and clinical signs related to a nervous disorder, characterized by tremors of head and neck, abnormalities of gait, diffi culty in standing, ataxia and wide-based stance. Histological lesions are mainly characterized by vacuolation of different cells, especially neurons of the central nervous system. The main animal model used to study α-mannosidosis is the guinea pig because, when experimentally poisoned, it exhibits many of the characteristics of naturally intoxicated livestock.
This study describes an occurrence of pink morning glory (Ipomoea
carnea) intoxication in goats in northern Argentina. The clinical signs
displayed by the affected animals were ataxia, lethargy, emaciation, hypertonia of the
neck muscles, spastic paresis in the hind legs, abnormal postural reactions and death. The
clinico-pathologic examination revealed that the affected animals were anemic and their
serum level of aspartate aminotransferase was significantly increased. Cytoplasmic
vacuolation in the Purkinje cells and pancreatic acinar cells was observed by histological
examination. The neuronal lectin binding pattern showed a strong positive reaction to WGA
(Triticum vulgaris), sWGA (succinylated T. vulgaris)
and LCA (Lens culinaris). Although I. carnea is common
in tropical regions, this is the first report of spontaneous poisoning in goats in
Argentina.
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