Micrographic analysis of ruminal content, its importance in intoxications detection

CAMBI, V.; VEROLO, M.; PÉREZ CUADRA, V.; DE PALMA, N.; MAGARIÑOS, M.; LOIS, F.

Córdoba

Otro; 3° Reunión Internacional de Ciencias Famaceúticas (RICIFA 2014); 2014

The toxic weeds constitute a threat when the animals feed on natural and implanted pastures or on any type of baled plants. Though the majority of the toxic plants are not consumed voluntarily by their low palatability, there exist numerous reasons for which this type of poisonings occurs. Toxic plants can cause slight to serious hurts in different organs and even death according to the toxic principle and the quantity of vegetable material ingested. The aim of this work was to use micrographical tools to study the ruminal content of Tragelaphus strepsiceros, an antelope Great Kudu belonging to the Foundation Temaikén, dead of a sudden form without demonstrating previous symptoms of disease. Six subsamples of 0,2 grs each were taken from the dry ruminal content being processed and mounted using traditional techniques for micrographical studies. They were studied under optical microscope. The results showed: 1-tricellular trichomes of rough surface with triangular apical cell and basal rosette belonging to Wedelia glauca; 2 -unicellular long and warty trichomes, and calciphytoliths (double truncated pyramid type) of Medicago sativa; 3 - eragrostoid type epidermal cells probably belonging to Cynodon dactylon; 4 - typical stellate hairs of some Malvaceae species, and multicellular uniseriate hairs belonging to some sort of eudicotyledon. We conclude that the most abundant diagnostic elements are trichomes of W. glauca and M. sativa, the latter species and C. dactylon are prescribed part of its diet, but not the first species. W. glauca has a hepatotoxic terpenoid, inhibitor of mitochondrial respiration and ATP synthesis, which is a serious threat when accidentally consumed by animals (as part of the pasture or bundles).