Tropane alkaloids and toxicity of Convolvulus arvensis.
Abstract: Horses in a few, localized northern Colorado pastures exhibited weight loss and colic. At post mortem, intestinal fibrosis and vascular sclerosis of the small intestine was identified. The pastures where the affected horses grazed were overrun by field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Bindweed from the pasture was found to contain the tropane alkaloids tropine, pseudotropine, and tropinone and the pyrrolidine alkaloids cuscohygrine and hygrine. Laboratory mice readily ate C. arvensis and exhibited a variety of abnormal clinical signs depending on the amount eaten. Similar alkaloids have been found in other Convolvulus species and cuscohygrine and calystegines (polyhydroxytropanes) have been previously reported from C. arvensis roots. This is the first report of simple tropane alkaloids in C. arvensis, a world wide problem weed. Pseudotropine, the major alkaloid, is known to affect motility and might represent a causative agent for the observed cases of equine intestinal fibrosis.
Publication Date: 1995-05-01 PubMed ID: 7495531DOI: 10.1016/0031-9422(94)00969-zGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates the possible link between horses’ health issues in certain Colorado pastures and the ingestion of a weed called bindweed. The study found that bindweed, which was prevalent in these pastures, contained alkaloids that could potentially cause intestinal issues in horses.
Background of the Problem
- The research was triggered by health issues observed in horses grazing in a few pastures in northern Colorado.
- These horses had shown symptoms like weight loss and colic.
- Autopsies of the affected horses led to the discovery of intestinal fibrosis and vascular sclerosis of the small intestine.
- The common factor in these pastures was the prevalence of a weed called field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis).
Major Findings
- The researchers found that the bindweed from these pastures contained tropane alkaloids – specifically tropine, pseudotropine, and tropinone – and pyrrolidine alkaloids – specifically cuscohygrine and hygrine.
- When laboratory mice were fed the bindweed, they exhibited varied abnormal clinical signs depending on the quantity consumed.
- The research further establishes that similar alkaloids have been identified in other Convolvulus species. Moreover, cuscohygrine and calystegines, which are polyhydroxytropanes, have previously been reported in C. arvensis roots.
- Interestingly, this is the first research report which identified simple tropane alkaloids in C. arvensis, a weed that presents a worldwide problem.
Potential Impact of Findings
- The biggest revelation of the research is the presence of pseudotropine, a major alkaloid, in bindweed.
- This alkaloid is known to have an impact on motility – the ability of an organism to move independently using metabolic energy.
- This might be a key factor in the case of equine intestinal fibrosis observed amongst the horses.
- If this hypothesis is proven in further research, it can help establish effective preventive measures to safeguard the health of horses across pastures where bindweed is prevalent.
Cite This Article
APA
Todd FG, Stermitz FR, Schultheis P, Knight AP, Traub-Dargatz J.
(1995).
Tropane alkaloids and toxicity of Convolvulus arvensis.
Phytochemistry, 39(2), 301-303.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00969-z Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Chromatography, Thin Layer
- Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Male
- Mice
- Plants, Toxic / chemistry
- Poisoning / veterinary
- Tropanes / isolation & purification
- Tropanes / poisoning
- Tropanes / toxicity
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- de Nijs M, Crews C, Dorgelo F, MacDonald S, Mulder PPJ. Emerging Issues on Tropane Alkaloid Contamination of Food in Europe. Toxins (Basel) 2023 Jan 19;15(2).
- González-Gómez L, Morante-Zarcero S, Pereira JAM, Câmara JS, Sierra I. Improved Analytical Approach for Determination of Tropane Alkaloids in Leafy Vegetables Based on µ-QuEChERS Combined with HPLC-MS/MS. Toxins (Basel) 2022 Sep 20;14(10).
- Willocx M, Van der Beeten I, Asselman P, Delgat L, Baert W, Janssens SB, Leliaert F, Picron JF, Vanhee C. Sorting out the plants responsible for a contamination with pyrrolizidine alkaloids in spice seeds by means of LC-MS/MS and DNA barcoding: Proof of principle with cumin and anise spice seeds. Food Chem (Oxf) 2022 Jul 30;4:100070.
- Abdul Khaliq H, Ortiz S, Alhouayek M, Muccioli GG, Quetin-Leclercq J. Dereplication and Quantification of Major Compounds of Convolvulus arvensis L. Extracts and Assessment of Their Effect on LPS-Activated J774 Macrophages. Molecules 2022 Jan 31;27(3).
- Binaglia M, Baert K, Schutte M, Serafimova R. Overview of available toxicity data for calystegines. EFSA J 2019 Jan;17(1):e05574.
- Rezadoost MH, Kumleh HH, Ghasempour A. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction in breast cancer, skin cancer and glioblastoma cells by plant extracts. Mol Biol Rep 2019 Oct;46(5):5131-5142.
- Al-Rifai A, Aqel A, Al-Warhi T, Wabaidur SM, Al-Othman ZA, Badjah-Hadj-Ahmed AY. Antibacterial, Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Plant Extracts of Some Convolvulus Species and Their DART-ToF-MS Profiling. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2017;2017:5694305.
- Yazdi A, Sardari S, Sayyah M, Hassanpour Ezzati M. Evaluation of the Anticonvulsant Activity of the Leaves of Glycyrrhiza glabra var. glandulifera Grown in Iran, as a Possible Renewable Source for Anticonvulsant Compounds. Iran J Pharm Res 2011 Winter;10(1):75-82.
- Gianoli E, Molina-Montenegro MA, Becerra J. Interactive effects of leaf damage, light intensity and support availability on chemical defenses and morphology of a twining vine. J Chem Ecol 2007 Jan;33(1):95-103.
- Prado A, Pineda-Solis S, Garibay-Orijel R, Windsor D, Boevé JL. Fungal alkaloids mediate defense against bruchid beetles in field populations of an arborescent ipomoea. J Chem Ecol 2025 Feb 25;51(2):26.
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