Trema micrantha toxicity in horses in Brazil

Equine Vet J. 2010 Jul;42(5):456-9. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00035.x.

Abstract

After ingesting green leaves of T. micrantha, 2 horses showed apathy, locomotor deficit, blindness, recumbency, paddling, coma and death. The main gross findings were scattered haemorrhages, enhanced lobular pattern of the liver, and cerebral oedema. Histological changes included disseminated haemorrhages, massive hepatocellular necrosis, neuronal degeneration, Alzheimer type II astrocytes and cerebral perivascular oedema. Clinicopathological findings which were comparable with those observed in Trema micrantha poisoned ruminants, associated with epidemiological evidence suggested the diagnosis.Trema micrantha poisoning should be evaluated as a possible cause in the diagnosis of equine hepatopathy and occasional secondary encephalopathy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Cerebellum / drug effects
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Horse Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses
  • Insomnia, Fatal Familial
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / pathology
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Plant Poisoning / epidemiology
  • Plant Poisoning / pathology
  • Plant Poisoning / veterinary*
  • Plants, Toxic / adverse effects*
  • Pons / drug effects
  • Pons / pathology
  • Trema / chemistry*