Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #283623
Title: Detection of monofluoroacetate in Palicourea and Amorimia species

Author
item Lee, Stephen
item Cook, Daniel
item RIET-CORREA, FRANKLIN - Federal University Of Campina Grande
item Pfister, James
item ANDERSON, WILLIAM - University Of Michigan
item LIMA, FLAVIA - Federal University Of Goias
item Gardner, Dale

Submitted to: Toxicon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/31/2012
Publication Date: 6/11/2012
Citation: Lee, S.T., Cook, D., Riet-Correa, F., Pfister, J.A., Anderson, W.R., Lima, F.G., Gardner, D.R. 2012. Detection of monofluoroacetate in Palicourea and Amorimia species. Toxicon. 60(5): 791-6.

Interpretive Summary: Numerous plant species worldwide including Palicourea marcgravii and Tanaecium bilabiatum in Brazil cause sudden death and are known to contain monofluoroacetate (MFA). Other plant species in Brazil are reported to cause sudden death in livestock and are suspected to contain MFA due to the similarity of clinical signs. In this study, a method to detect and quantify MFA was developed and was used to investigate plant material from field collections and/or herbarium specimens of Mascagnia, Amorimia, and Palicourea species suspected of causing sudden death. MFA was detected in Amorimia amazonica, A. camporum, A. exotropica, A. pubiflora, A. rigida, and A. septentrionalis as well as P. aeneofusca. MFA concentrations differ greatly between Palicourea species and Amorimia species, which may explain the incidence of poisoning and the amount of plant material required to cause sudden death between these taxa.

Technical Abstract: Numerous plant species worldwide including Palicourea marcgravii and Tanaecium bilabiatum in Brazil cause sudden death and are known to contain monofluoroacetate (MFA). Other species in Brazil including some species traditionally assigned to Mascagnia but now properly called Amorimia species and other Palicourea species are reported to cause sudden death in livestock and are suspected to contain MFA due to the similarity of clinical signs. In this study, an HPLC-APCI-MS method to detect and quantify MFA was developed and was used to investigate plant material from field collections and/or herbarium specimens of Mascagnia, Amorimia, and Palicourea species suspected of causing sudden death. MFA was detected in Amorimia amazonica, A. camporum, A. exotropica, A. pubiflora, A. rigida, and A. septentrionalis as well as P. aeneofusca. MFA concentrations differ greatly between Palicourea species and Amorimia species, which may explain the incidence of poisoning and the amount of plant material required to cause sudden death between these taxa.