Diterpenoid alkaloid toxicosis in cattle in the Swiss Alps

Between 1995 and 1999, several cattle of a group of 80 heifers died acutely on a pasture in the Swiss Alps. The animals were Found dead between July 9th and 15th eachyear. Only 1 animal was examined on post-mortem, and no significant lesions were found. Aconitum vulpera, A napellus, and Delphinium e...

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Published inVeterinary and human toxicology Vol. 44; no. 1; p. 8
Main Authors Puschner, Birgit, Booth, Marcia C, Tor, Elizabeth R, Odermatt, Arnold
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.02.2002
Subjects
Aconitine - isolation & purification
Aconitine - toxicity
Alkaloids - isolation & purification
Alkaloids - toxicity
Animals
Cattle
Cattle Diseases - chemically induced
Cattle Diseases - epidemiology
Disease Outbreaks - veterinary
Diterpenes - isolation & purification
Diterpenes - toxicity
Female
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Switzerland - epidemiology
Switzerland
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Summary:Between 1995 and 1999, several cattle of a group of 80 heifers died acutely on a pasture in the Swiss Alps. The animals were Found dead between July 9th and 15th eachyear. Only 1 animal was examined on post-mortem, and no significant lesions were found. Aconitum vulpera, A napellus, and Delphinium elatum were identified in the pasture. The presence of diterpenoid alkaloid-containing plants in the pasture, the rapid death of the animals, and the lack of pathologic lesions suggested diterpenoid alkaloid toxicosis as a cause of death. A multiresidue alkaloid screen using gas chromatography with a mass spectrometric detector was employed on rumen, abomasal, small intestine, and cecal contents from the I heifer. Deltaline, deltamine, and lycoctonine were identified. Aconitine was found in all gastrointestinal samples using a sensitive and highly specific liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry methodology for aconitine analysis. The findings ofditerpenoid alkaloids in the gastrointestinal contents confirmed exposure to Delphinium and Aconitum spp, possibly resulting in sudden death.
ISSN:0145-6296