Confirmed Datura poisoning in a horse most probably due to D. ferox in contaminated tef hay.

This research article details a confirmed case of Datura poisoning in a horse caused by consuming tef hay contaminated with Datura ferox. The report is notable as it’s the first time such poisoning was confirmed via urine analysis for tropane alkaloids, which are found in this plant.

Introduction

• The article begins by mentioning a scenario where tef hay contaminated with Datura ferox and possibly Datura stramonium, was exposed to a herd of 23 mares.
• Out of these, two mares developed colic, a digestive disorder; one horse required surgery and had to be euthanized, while the other one made a full recovery following treatment with analgesics.

Observations

• The researchers noted that the surviving horse displayed marked mydriasis (dilation of the pupils) for the first two days, followed by a milder form of the condition for an additional seven days.
• Post the colic incident, Scopolamine — a type of tropane alkaloid — was chemically confirmed in the horse’s urine for three days, while atropine (another tropane alkaloid) was detected for two days.

Confirmation of Datura Poisoning

• The main tropane alkaloid found in the contaminated hay was scopolamine. This led the researchers to conclude that the case was most likely one of Datura ferox poisoning.
• The article also highlights that this case stands as the first instance of such a poisoning being confirmed through a urine analysis for tropane alkaloids.

Methods of Alkaloid Extraction and Detection

• Furthermore, the researchers detail the method used to detect the tropane alkaloids in question. They accomplished this through enzymatic hydrolysis, followed by liquid-liquid extraction, and finally through a technique called liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).
• This approach allowed for the precise detection of atropine and scopolamine in the horse’s urine, further confirming their findings.