Cardiovascular Toxicity
PLANT SPECIES EPIDEMIOLOGY
 Oleander- Nerium oleander
CARDIAC GLYCOSIDES
 Tulp- Moraea spp
 Slangkop- Drimia sanguinea
 Plakkie- Cotyledon orbiculate
 Kripsiektebossie
 Gifblaar- Dichapetalum cymosum
GIFBLAAR
TOXICITY
 Gousiektebossie- Pachystigma spp
 Wild Date- Fadogia homble
GOUSIEKTE
 Tonnabossie- Pavetta spp
 Cotton- Gossypium herbaceum
COTTON TOXICITY
 Monensin
 Salinomycin
IONOPHORE TOXICITY
MECHANISM OF ACTION
We recognize two syndromes.
 Acute:- caused by all these plants
 chronic paralytic syndrome:
“Krimpsiekte” caused by certain
members of the Crassulaceae.
Sudden mortality of ruminants, especially
cattle, which usually occurs in late winter/early
spring (Aug - Oct) and in early autumn (March)
Cardiotoxicoses of ruminants characterized by
acute heart failure approximately 6-8 weeks
following ingestion of certain plants belonging
to the Rubiaceae family
Specifically cultivated
Cottonseed oilcake
 These organic compounds are used for
the control of coccidiosis in especially
poultry rations.
 Feeding chicken litter
CLINICAL SIGNS
 Bufadienolides and Cardenolides
 Inhibits Na/K-ATPase enzyme.
 Interferes with
transmembrane potential of cells and
consequently there are conduction
disturbances eg
arrhythmias.
 Hyperkalaemia
 Monofluoroacetate

Stops TCA cycle, catastrophic energy loss
 Pavetamine
 decreases protein synthesis of new myosin
and causes a breakdown of contractile
proteins in the heart
 Gossypol
 Endotheliotoxic
 Uncouples oxidative phosphorylation
 Hyperkalaemic heart failure.
 Binds to amino acids particularly lysine,
which is then unavailable for protein
synthesis, leads to hypoproteinaemia and
oedema.
 Ionophore (= carrier of ions across cell
membranes)
 Ion gradients are disturbed and Ca
accumulated intracellularly, accumulated
calcium releases degradative lytic enzymes
 causes the swelling of mitochondria and the
sarcoplasmic reticulum, cell necrosis
 GIT- Bloat and diarrhea
 Cardiovascular-
tachyarrhythmias
 Neuromuscular- tremors and
posterior paresis
 Respiratory- Dyspnoea
 Animal drops dead after drinking
water or after exercise
 Cardiac effects- endocardial
haemorrhages
 Nervous involvement
 latent period of 6-8 weeks animals
die suddenly drop dead
 Post Mortem- heart failure and
subendocardial pallor
 Microscopy- myocardial replacement
fibrosis
 Causes loss of appetite and loss of
weight Poor growth and feed
conversion
 Cardiac arrhythmias,
 Ataxia
 Weakness and recumbency

Cardiac and skeletal muscle
degeneration and necrosis
 Cardiomyopathy, generalized
congestion