Detection of toxic monofluoroacetate in Palicourea species.

Numerous plant species worldwide including some Palicourea (Rubiaceae), Tanaecium (Bignoniaceae), and Amorimia (Malpighiaceae) species in Brazil cause sudden death and are known to contain monofluoroacetate (MFA). Two species of Palicourea, Palicourea aenofusca and Palicourea marcgravii, cause sudden death and are reported to contain MFA while other Palicourea species are reported to cause sudden death in livestock and are suspected to contain MFA due to the similarity in clinical signs. Using an HPLC-APCI-MS method to detect MFA, herbarium specimens representing 46 Palicourea taxa were screened for the presence of MFA. Additionally we screened five Psychotria taxa that are closely related to Palicourea species. Ten species of Palicourea were identified that contained MFA, two previously reported and eight newly reported here; these are closely related to each other, though some other related species did not contain MFA.

Vertebrate pesticide risk assessment by indigenous communities in New Zealand.

In New Zealand, the vertebrate pesticide sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) is aerially applied in baits for control of the brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr, 1792). Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, have raised concerns about 1080 impacts on culturally-important species. Here, we outline two steps taken to help Maori assess 1080 risk. First, field research was undertaken to determine if naturally-occurring plants utilized by a Maori community for food and medicine would take up 1080 from baits. Single baits were placed at the base of individual plants of two species, pikopiko (Asplenium bulbiferum) and karamuramu (Coprosma robusta). Plants were sampled at various times up to 56 days, and samples were analyzed for 1080 content. No 1080 was detected in any of the pikopiko samples, whereas 1080 was detected in karamuramu, at a maximum concentration of 5 ppb after seven days, and 2.5 ppb after 14 days. This concentration decreased to 0 at 28 days, indicating that 1080 was not persistent. The results of the present study suggest there is negligible risk of humans being poisoned by consuming plants that have taken up 1080 from baits. To allay community concerns that minute concentrations of 1080 might influence the medicinal properties of plants, it is suggested that a withholding period of 30 days after 1080 control operations could be adopted. Second, after further consultation we undertook a review of the scientific literature relating to 1080 impacts on additional non-target species of cultural importance to Maori. The information was presented on an interactive foodweb database that allowed the collection and presentation of a large volume of complex information about 1080 in a holistic and pictorial fashion. This database was presented to many Maori communities throughout New Zealand, and feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The database is likely to play a key role in informing these communities about 1080, and is seen as an important new tool to help these communities make their own risk assessments.

Role of illness in producing learned taste aversions in rats: a comparison of several rodenticides.

Several toxic agents were compared in order to test the effect of various types of illness in producing learned taste aversions. After a 10-min sucrose drinking trial, groups of rats were injected intraperitoneally with lithium chloride or with a strong, near lethal dose of a rodenticide. Strong sucrose aversions were acquired by groups injected with lithium chloride, copper sulfate, sodium fluoroacetate, or red squill, and very weak or no aversions were learned by groups injected with thallium, warfarin cyanide, or strychnine. The results were discussed in terms of onset of symptoms, duration of symptoms, and kinds of physiological effects necessary to produce aversions. It was concluded that the effects of different drugs may be mediated by different physiological systems learned taste aversions.