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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #332041
Title: Liver biopsy as diagnostic method for poisoning by swainsonine-containing plants

Author
item ROCHA, BRENA - Federal Rural University Of Pernambuco
item REIS, MATHEUS - Federal University Of Rio Grande Do Sul
item DRIEMEIER, DAVID - Federal University Of Rio Grande Do Sul
item Cook, Daniel
item CAMARGO, LAZARO - Universidade De Cuiaba
item RIET-CORREA, FRANKLIN - National Agricultural Research Institute(INIA)
item EVENCIO-NETO, JOAQUIM - Universidade De Pernambuco
item MENDONCA, FABIO - Universidade De Pernambuco

Submitted to: Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/12/2016
Publication Date: 5/1/2016
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5425110
Citation: Rocha, B.P., Reis, M.O., Driemeier, D., Cook, D., Camargo, L.M., Riet-Correa, F., Evencio-Neto, J., Mendonca, F.S. 2016. Liver biopsy as diagnostic method for poison¬ing by swainsonine-containing plants. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira. 36(5):373-377.

Interpretive Summary: The use of hepatic biopsies for the diagnosis of poisoning by swainsonine-containing plants was evaluated. Dry leaves of Ipomoea marcellia containing 0.02% of swainsonine were administered to goats. Hepatic biopsies with the Menghini needle were performed at day zero and at weekly intervals after the start of the administration of I. marcellia. Biopsy samples were fixed in 10% formalin, processed routinely, and stained by hematoxylin-eosin and by lectins his¬tochemistry. Hepatocellular vacuolization similar to those described in cases of lysosomal storage disease were identified in all goats from day 7 to the end of the experiment. Using lectin histochemistry, consistent labelings were observed with Concanavalia ensiformis (Con-A) e Triticum vulgaris (WGA). It is concluded that routinely histological evaluation of liver biopsies can be used in the diag¬nosis of poisoning by swainsonine containing plants, even in goats without clinical signs, and lectin histochemistry which can be used as supplementary diagnostic method.

Technical Abstract: With the aim to investigate the use of hepatic biopsies for the diagnosis of poisoning by swainsonine-containing plants, dry leaves of Ipomoea marcellia containing 0.02% of swainsonine were administered to goats. Group I, with six goats, ingested 4g/kg of dry plant (0.8mg of swainsonina/kg) until the observation of the first neurologic signs. Two go¬ats that did not receive the plant were used as control (Group II). Hepatic biopsies with the Menghini needle were performed by the percutaneous technique at day zero and at weekly intervals after the start of the administration of I. marcellia. Biopsy samples were fixed in 10% formalin, processed routinely, and stained by hematoxylin-eosin and by lectins his¬tochemistry. Hepatocellular vacuolization similar to those described in cases of lysosomal storage disease were identified in all goats of Group I from the seven day of plant consump¬tion in the samples stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Using lectin histochemistry, consistent labelings were observed with Concanavalia ensiformis (Con-A) e Triticum vulgaris (WGA). It is concluded that routinely histological evaluation of liver biopsies can be used in the diag¬nosis of poisoning by swainsonine containing plants, even in goats without clinical signs, and lectin histochemistry which can be used as supplementary diagnostic method daily.