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. 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):1289-93.
doi: 10.1111/jvim.12367. Epub 2014 May 26.

Hypoglycin A concentrations in seeds of Acer pseudoplatanus trees growing on atypical myopathy-affected and control pastures

L Unger  1 , A Nicholson, E M Jewitt, V Gerber, A Hegeman, L Sweetman, S Valberg
Affiliations

Hypoglycin A concentrations in seeds of Acer pseudoplatanus trees growing on atypical myopathy-affected and control pastures

L Unger et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2014 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Background: Hypoglycin A, found in seeds of Acer negundo, appears to cause seasonal pasture myopathy (SPM) in North America and is implicated in atypical myopathy (AM) in Europe. Acer negundo is uncommon in Europe. Thus, the potential source of hypoglycin A in Europe is unknown.

Hypothesis and objectives: We hypothesized that seeds of Acer pseudoplatanus were the source of hypoglycin A in Europe. Our objective was to determine the concentration of hypoglycin A in seeds of A. pseudoplatanus trees located in pastures where previous cases of AM had occurred.

Animals: None.

Methods: University of Berne records were searched to retrospectively identify 6 farms with 10 AM cases and 11 suspected AM deaths between 2007 and 2011. During October 2012, A. pseudoplatanus seeds were collected from 2 to 6 trees per pasture on 6 AM farms (7 pastures) from trees in or close to 2 pastures on 2 control farms where AM had not been previously reported. Hypoglycin A in seeds was analyzed by GC-MS.

Results: Acer pseudoplatanus trees were identified on all AM pastures. Hypoglycin A was detected in all A. pseudoplatanus seeds in highly variable concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 2.81 μg/mg (mean 0.69) on AM farms and 0.10 to 9.12 μg/mg (mean 1.59) on control farms.

Conclusion and clinical importance: Preventing horses from grazing pastures containing A. pseudoplatanus seeds during late fall and early spring might be the best means to prevent AM.

Keywords: Lipid; Multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency; Rhabdomyolysis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of Acer pseudoplatanus trees on an affected (A) and near a control pasture (B). Arrows indicate the presence of numerous A. psuedoplatanus trees on the affected pasture that were only present along the perimeter of the control pasture.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Acer pseudoplatanus leaves and seeds on a tree in an atypical myopathy‐affected pasture. (B) Samara with the seed contained in the globular end and size indicated relative to a scale bar of 1 cm.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Average concentration of hypoglycin A in 5 pooled seeds run in triplicate from individual trees growing in atypical myopathy (black solid symbols), or near unaffected (open squares, triangles) farm pastures. Numbers on X axis indicate individual farms, letters indicate different pastures on the same farm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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