Abstract
Marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre L.) is one of the most poisonous plants of wet grasslands in the northern hemisphere, which poses a major health threat to livestock. Available data on the levels of its main alkaloids are currently contradictory due to the inadequate analytical methods and the wide variation in toxicity levels reported. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the ontogenetic stage of plant development may explain a significant part of the variations in the main Equisetum-type alkaloids. Two populations of marsh horsetail were sampled over two growing seasons. The plant material was classified according to their developmental stages and subsequently the main alkaloids were determined by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis. ANOVA revealed significant effects of the ontogenetic stage but not the site on the main Equisetum-type alkaloids (sum of palustrine and palustridiene) ranging from 213 to 994 mg/kg dry matter (DM). The highest alkaloid content was found in the stages of early development. Not the season itself, but the growth temperature co-influenced the alkaloid content. Our results help to resolve the seemingly contradictory information provided by previous studies on the toxicity of E. palustre and are of practical relevance for the prevention of contamination risks in wet grassland use.
Highlights
IntroductionMarsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre L.) is one of the 15 species of the subgenus Equisetum (family: Equisetaceae) whose members are collectively known as horsetails [1]
Marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre L.) is one of the 15 species of the subgenus Equisetum whose members are collectively known as horsetails [1]
The plant material was classified according to their developmental stages and subsequently the main alkaloids were determined by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis
Summary
Marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre L.) is one of the 15 species of the subgenus Equisetum (family: Equisetaceae) whose members are collectively known as horsetails [1]. These pteridophytes are living remnants of an ancient group of plants dating back to the Devonian period [2]. Marsh horsetail grows associated with wet grassland species and is able to colonize many plant communities if the site conditions are favorable [5]. Since these wet grassland areas have been subjected to increasing pressure from the developing livestock sector [6,7]
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