ISSN:
1432-1335
Keywords:
Key words Conditional cancerogens
;
Risk of dietary cancer
;
Diterpene esters
;
Euphorbia peplus
;
Food chain
;
Lactating goats
;
Polluted milk
;
Poisoning by contaminated fodder
;
Tumour promoters
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Lactating goats were fed on aerial parts of the herb Euphorbia peplus L. admixed with their usual green fodder. During the experimental feeding period they showed symptoms of general poisoning. In necropsy the main toxic effects were seen in the heart, lung and liver. Histopathological examinations revealed that the primary toxic effects originated from degenerative changes in parenchymal and endothelial cells. Adverse symptoms in the liver and kidney were also reflected in an alteration of the levels of certain serum enzymes and of blood urea nitrogen. The milk of the goats fed on E. peplus, consumed by their young kids, caused poisoning and even death, with signs similar to those observed in the adult dams. These observations support the hypothesis that the poisoning observed in both milk-raised kids and mother goats is caused by diterpene ester type toxins present in the aerial parts of the herb contaminating the dams fodder. Generally, such skin irritant and hyperplasiogenic toxins are known to be highly active tumour promoters of skin and other organ, e.g. in mice. Lactating goats – as an important source of milk around the world – in a setting similar to that described, may provide a valid experimental etiological model for investigation of food polluted by tumour-promoting diterpene ester toxins.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s004320050152
