Abstract
BackgroundCrepis lacera is a plant from the Asteraceae family that is common in the Mediterranean region. Farmers believe that this plant may be deadly to small ruminants in areas of southern Italy. However, scientific evidence is lacking, and no proof exists that C. lacera is toxic to ruminants. Necropsies conducted on four sheep revealed lesions in their livers and kidneys.ResultsIn the current study, we described sheep poisoning and isolated secondary metabolites from Crepis lacera to assess the metabolites’ biological activity both in vitro and in vivo. Phytochemical study of the aerial portions of Crepis lacera led to the isolation of five sesquiterpene lactones and two phenolic compounds. Cellular viability was evaluated in cell cultures of the bovine kidney cell line Madin Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) after incubation with phytochemicals. Our results showed that three sesquiterpene lactones, 8-epidesacylcynaropicrin-3-O-β-glucopyranoside (2), 8-epigrosheimin (3), and 8-β-hydroxydehydrozaluzanin C (4), were cytotoxic after 48 h of incubation. In addition, in the in vivo study, animals that received 1 mg/kg body weight (bw) of Crepis lacera extract and were then sacrificed after 48 h showed significant lesions in their liver, lungs and kidneys. These lesions were also found in rats that received 2 mg/kg bw of the same extract and sacrificed after 24 and 48 h.ConclusionsThese results validate the hypothesis that C. lacera is potentially dangerous when ingested in large quantities by grazing small domestic ruminants. Further studies are necessary to clarify the molecular mechanisms of Crepis spp. toxicity in animals.
Highlights
Crepis lacera is a plant from the Asteraceae family that is common in the Mediterranean region
Crepis lacera is a plant in the Asteraceae family that is commonly found in many areas of central and southern Italy at 700 to 1200 m altitudes
We were contacted by farmers at the beginning of the dry season reporting the sudden deaths of many sheep, leading us to suspect Crepis lacera poisoning
Summary
Crepis lacera is a plant from the Asteraceae family that is common in the Mediterranean region. Farmers believe that this plant may be deadly to small ruminants in areas of southern Italy. Crepis lacera is a plant in the Asteraceae family that is commonly found in many areas of central and southern Italy at 700 to 1200 m altitudes. It is a 15 to 40-cm tall perennial herb with erect stems branching from the upper section. Many Italian farmers believe that this plant is fatal if frequently ingested by ruminants such as sheep and cattle, in areas of southern Italy during late spring and summer when C. lacera grows copiously.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
