INTOXICAÇÃO NATURAL E EXPERIMENTAL POR Cestrum laevigatum (SOLANACEAE) EM BOVINOS NO AGRESTE DA PARAÍBA, BRASIL.

Abstract

Cestrum laevigatum Schecht is a shrub of the Solanaceae family, and it is one of the plants responsible for mortality in cattle, in various regions of Brazil. Popularly known in the northeast as "corona" and "maria-branca", it has been reported to be toxic to dairy cattle in the Agreste of Pernambuco. It describes a surge of spontaneous poisoning by C. laevigatum in the Agreste of Paraiba in six cattle out of a group of twenty animals. Both were kept in two pickets with size about six hectares with a shortage of forage and presented themselves infested by C. laevigatum in regrowth. The clinical signs consisted of difficulty breathing, salivation, ingurgitation of the jugular veins, muscle tremors and incoordination, progressing to recumbency and death. The necropsy of the two cattle revealed hemorrhages in serous and liver with accentuation of the lobular pattern. The main histopathological lesions and consisted of accentuated coagulative necrosis, associated with hemorrhage in the centrilobular region and accentuated vacuolization (degeneration) of the hepatocytes from the mediozonais adjacent regions of the necrosis areas. In the periportal areas had moderate fibrosis and severe to moderate proliferation of the bile ducts. Intoxication was reproduced in two calves. Was administered in beef (1) 35g / kg leaves and mature fruits and bovine (2) received 50 g / kg leaves and young fruits, both orally at single dose. It conducted clinical examination every six hours for evaluation. The first animal showed light clinical signs, recovered after 30h. The second animal showed symptoms similar to that of natural poisoning and died 11h37min after onset of clinical signs. Biochemical examination of blood serum reveals increased gammaglutamyltransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. Macroscopic findings were similar to those observed in natural poisoning. Histopathology observed diffuse necrosis of centrilobular coagulation and dissociation of hepatocytes in the medizionais areas. In order to prevent that new cases of poisoning occur on the property it should be eliminated the plant or prevent grazing in areas infested by C. laevigatum. The differential diagnosis should be made with other hepatotoxic plants in the region, as well as rabies. It is concluded that natural poisoning in cattle in the Agreste region occurred from ingestion of Cestrum laevigatum, a plant that causes acute liver injury.