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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #332056
Title: The use of ultrasonography to study teratogenicity in ruminants: Evaluation of Ipomoea carnea in goats

Author
item GOTARDO, ANDRE - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item SCHUMAHER, BRENO - Escola Superior Batista Do Amazonas
item Pfister, James
item TRALDI, ANNELIESE - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item MAIORKA, PAULO - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item SPINOSA, HELENICE - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item GORNIAK, SILVANA - Universidad De Sao Paulo

Submitted to: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/25/2012
Publication Date: 8/1/2012
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5399140
Citation: Gotardo, A.T., Schumaher, B.H., Pfister, J.A., Traldi, A.S., Maiorka, P.C., Spinosa, H.S., Gorniak, S.L. 2012. The use of ultrasonography to study teratogenicity in ruminants: Evaluation of Ipomoea carnea in goats. Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology. 95(4):289-295. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdrb.21017.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/bdrb.21017

Interpretive Summary: Ipomoea carnea (I. carnea) is a poisonous plant found in Brazil and other tropical countries that often poison livestock. The plant contains calystegines and swainsonine, which inhibit cellular enzymes and cause systematic cell death. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of I. carnea in newborn goats. Forty-seven pregnant goats were randomly allocated into 5 treatment groups and given the following doses (g/kg BW) of I. carnea: 0 (IC0), 1.0 (IC1), 3.0 (IC3), 5.0 (IC5) and 7.5 (IC7). The treatment animals were given fresh I. carnea from day 27 of gestation to parturition (148 days). Weight gains and serum biochemistry were evaluated. Fetuses were evaluated using ultrasonographic measurements. Goats from the IC7 group showed clinical signs of poisoning at birth. Ultrasound examination revealed that I. carnea feeding in all treatment groups reduced fetal movement compared to the controls. There was an increase in the total number of birth defects in the IC7 and IC5 groups compared to the controls. The results show that I. carnea has teratogenic effects in goats.

Technical Abstract: Ipomoea carnea (I. carnea) is a poisonous plant found in Brazil and other tropical countries that often poison livestock. The plant contains calystegines and swainsonine, which inhibit cellular enzymes and cause systematic cell death. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perinatal effects of I. carnea in goats. Forty-seven pregnant goats were randomly allocated into 5 treatment groups and given the following doses (g/kg BW) of I. carnea: 0 (IC0), 1.0 (IC1), 3.0 (IC3), 5.0 (IC5) and 7.5 (IC7). The treatment animals were given fresh I. carnea from day 27 of gestation to parturition. Weight gains and serum biochemistry were evaluated. Fetuses were evaluated using ultrasonographic measurements. Goats from the IC7 group showed clinical signs of poisoning. Ultrasound examination revealed that I. carnea feeding in all treatment groups reduced fetal movement compared to the controls. There was an increase in the total number of birth defects (retrognathia and arthrogyposis) in the IC7 and IC5 groups compared to the controls. The results show that I. carnea has teratogenic potential in goats. In addition, ultrasounds were useful in evaluating fetotoxicity and teratogenicity.