"Espichamento", poisoning of cattle by Solanum malacoxylon, in the pantanal region of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract

A disease in cattle called "espichamento" or "espichação" ocurring in the pantanal region in the State of Mato Grosso, was studied. It is a chronic disease, characterised clinically by progressive emaciation and locomotory difficulties, notably stiffness in the gait and standing on the toes, sometimes with slightly bowed carpus. The animal lie down for much of the time, and many finally die. The post-mortem findings and histopathologic changes consist of calcification in various organs, mainly in the lungs, the endocardium, the aorta and other major arteries, and also in the kidney medulla and tendons. In the lungs the calcification is associated with emphysema and ossification. The disease was observed in the pantanal region of Mato Grosso only in areas where the shrub Solamum malacoxylon Sendtner was found. "Espichamento" was experimentally produced in five bovines in the State of Rio de Janeiro by repeated oral administration of small amounts of dried leaves of S. malacoxylon collected in the pantanal of Mato Grosso. Three animals died within a period of 30 days, 39 days and 95 days, having consumed respectively 0.82, 1.0 and 0.22 g/kg per week of the dried plant. Two animals were killed, one after 114 days, the other after 1 year and 2 weeks, having consumed respectively 0.17 and 0.16 g/kg per week of the dried plant. In all these animals post-mortem examinations and histopathologic studies revealed similar lesions as seen in the naturally occurring "espichamento"; that is essentially soft tissue calcification and lung ossification. No symptoms of the disease or pathological changes were seen in the three control animals. It is concluded that "espichamento", as also "enteque seco" in Argentina, is caused directly by the repeated ingestion of small amounts of S. malacoxylon.