Encephalopathy caused by Talisia esculenta intoxication in pregnant ewes and their newborn lambs.

An outbreak of acute encephalopathy occurred in pregnant ewes and their newborn lambs associated with consumption of Talisia esculenta fruits and bark. Clinical signs in 5 adult pregnant ewes included drooling, bloat, tachypnea, depression, ataxia, body shaking, difficulty in rising, and recumbency. Three neonatal lambs born to some of those ewes had similar clinical signs. No significant gross abnormalities were observed on autopsy. Histologically, neuronal necrosis, axonal and dendritic swelling, and loss of Purkinje neurons were observed in the cerebellum. The observation of similar neurologic clinical signs and lesions in pregnant ewes and their neonatal lambs suggests that the toxic principle of T. esculenta crosses the placenta and reaches the fetus.

Mass spectrometry characterization, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity of the peel and pulp extracts of Pitomba.

The fruit of the Talisia esculenta tree, is largely consumed and appreciated for its bittersweet taste; however, detailed information on its constituent bioactive compounds is still scarce. Therefore, this study aims to screen the antioxidant activity by six methods and determine the chemical profile of the pitomba fruit peel and pulp by electrospray ionization-Fourier transform-mass spectrometry. This is the first study attempting to identify the bioactive compounds in the pitomba fruit peel. Consequently, 19 and 14 compounds were identified in the ethanolic and hexanic peel extracts, while 7 and 10 compounds were detected in the ethanolic and hexanic pulp extracts, respectively. The common compounds across the board were citric acid, ascorbic acid, and shikimic acid. In addition, the ethanolic peel extract exhibited a high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (54.21-81.41%). The obtained results highlight the importance the pitomba fruit as a promising source of natural compounds with high antioxidant activities.

Ethnopharmacology of Fruit Plants: A Literature Review on the Toxicological, Phytochemical, Cultural Aspects, and a Mechanistic Approach to the Pharmacological Effects of Four Widely Used Species.

Fruit plants have been widely used by the population as a source of food, income and in the treatment of various diseases due to their nutritional and pharmacological properties. The aim of this study was to review information from the most current research about the phytochemical composition, biological and toxicological properties of four fruit species widely used by the world population in order to support the safe medicinal use of these species and encourage further studies on their therapeutic properties. The reviewed species are: Talisia esculenta, Brosimum gaudichaudii, Genipa americana, and Bromelia antiacantha. The review presents the botanical description of these species, their geographical distribution, forms of use in popular medicine, phytochemical studies and molecules isolated from different plant organs. The description of the pharmacological mechanism of action of secondary metabolites isolated from these species was detailed and toxicity studies related to them were reviewed. The present study demonstrates the significant concentration of phenolic compounds in these species and their anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, photosensitizing properties, among others. Such species provide important molecules with pharmacological activity that serve as raw materials for the development of new drugs, making further studies necessary to elucidate mechanisms of action not yet understood and prove the safety for use in humans.

Spontaneous poisoning by Talisia esculenta in cattle / Intoxicação espontânea por Talisia esculenta em bovinos

Talisia esculenta, commonly known as pitombeira, is a tree which fruits are widely consumed by human beings in northeastern Brazil. The aim of this work is to describe the epidemiological, clinical and pathological aspects of two outbreaks of spontaneous poisoning by T. esculenta in cattle in the dry region of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. The cases occurred in the municipalities of São Bento do Una and Belo Jardim. From a total of 25 adult cattle, eight become sick after ingest T. esculenta leaves and fruits. Four cattle died until 72 hours after the first clinical signs; which consisted in ataxia, reluctance to walk, tottering, head tremors muscle spasms in the limbs, rigidity of the pelvic limbs with wide base stance position, ruminal atony and, when stressed, presented falls and remained in abnormal positions. Two cattle were necropsied; the only significant finding was the presence of partially digested leaves, barks and seeds of T. esculenta in ruminal contents. Microscopically no lesions were observed. There is no specific therapy for poisoning by T. esculenta leaves. Prophylaxis consists in preventing cattle from gaining access to pasture areas containing the plant.(AU)

Talisia esculenta, popularmente conhecida como pitombeira, é uma árvore cujos frutos são amplamente consumidos por seres humanos no nordeste do Brasil. O objetivo deste trabalho é descrever os aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos e patológicos de dois surtos de intoxicação espontânea por T. esculenta em bovinos no Agreste de Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil. Os casos ocorreram nos municípios de São Bento do Una e Belo Jardim De um total de 25 bovinos adultos, oito adoeceram após consumirem as folhas e frutos de T. esculenta. Quatro morreram em até 72 horas após a observação dos primeiros sinais clínicos; que consistiam em ataxia, relutância em caminhar, andar cambaleante, tremores de cabeça, espasmos musculares nos membros, rigidez dos membros pélvicos com posição de ampla base, atonia ruminal e, quando excitados, apresentavam quedas e permaneciam em posições anormais. Dois bovinos foram necropsiados e o único achado significante foi a presença de folhas, cascas e sementes parcialmente digeridas de T. esculenta no conteúdo ruminal. Microscopicamente não foram observadas lesões. Não existe terapia específica para a intoxicação pelas folhas de T. esculenta. A profilaxia consiste em evitar que bovinos tenham acesso às áreas de pastagem contendo a planta.(AU)

Poisoning by Talisia esculenta (A. St.-Hil.) Radlk in sheep and cattle.

Talisia esculenta is a tree that produces pitomba, a fruit consumed by human beings in several regions of Brazil. The current study reports 3 outbreaks of poisoning by leaves and fruits of T. esculenta affecting sheep and cattle and the experimental reproduction of the disease in sheep. In the first investigated outbreak, sheep ingested the leaves of the plant; another outbreak affected cattle and sheep that ingested leaves and fruits; and in a third outbreak, sheep ingested only the fruits. The animals developed severe nervous signs, but most recovered. Poisoning was reproduced experimentally in 5 sheep by the administration of 30-60 g of leaves/kg body weight and in 2 sheep with doses of 5 and 10 g of seeds/kg body weight, respectively. No significant necropsy or histologic lesions were found.

Effect of the aqueous extracts of the seeds of Talisia esculenta and Sapindus saponaria on fall armyworm

The effect of aqueous extracts of Talisia esculenta (T.E.) and Sapindus saponaria (S.S.), were evaluated on the development and mortality of 8-14th day-life Spodoptera frugiperda, an important pest of maize. Corn leaves were dipped in the aqueous extracts (1 percent w/v) and offered as food to the caterpillars. The treated corn leaves with the extracts caused larval mortality (26.71 percent/T.E.; 63.3 percent/S.S.) and also showed effect on the larval weight (237.50 mg/T.E.; 86.65 mg/S.S.) when compared with the control (11.3 percent and 293.45 mg), mortality and larval weight, respectively. The electrophoresis with gelatin (0.1 percent) showed two very clear white areas (trypsin activity) in the caterpillars midgut of all the treatments. Only the caterpillar treated with S. saponaria presented significant differences, showing trypsin activity (10.59 percent). Sapindus saponaria appeared better than Talisia esculenta and showed good potential to be used as control agent for S. frugiperda.

Este estudo procurou avaliar o potencial inseticida dos extratos aquosos de sementes de Talisia esculenta (St. Hil.) Radlk (Pitombal) e Sapindus saponaria L. (Saboneteira), ambas da família Sapindaceae, sobre Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), importante praga da lavoura de milho. As folhas de milho foram imersas nos tratamentos com extratos aquosos (1 por cento p/v) e oferecidas como alimento para as lagartas. Os resultados do período larval tais como mortalidade e peso médio foram respectivamente: para S. saponaria 63,15 por cento, 86,65 mg; para T. esculenta 26,71 por cento, 237,50 mg e para o controle 11,3 por cento, 293,45 mg. A eletroforese com gelatina 0,1 por cento mostrou duas regiões brancas muito nítidas (atividade tríptica) no intestino médio das lagartas de todos os tratamentos. Somente as lagartas do tratamento S. saponaria, apresentaram diferenças significativas, com uma atividade tríptica 10,59 por cento menor.

Repertório botânico da "Pitombeira" (Talisia esculenta (A. ST.-HIL.) Radlk. - Sapindaceae)

The authors present results on research with Talisia esculenta (A. St.-Hil.) Radlk. (Sapindaceae) commonly know as "pitomba" or "pitombeira" with botanical aspects concerning the morphology, taxonomy, geographical distribution and uses. The species is widely distributed in Brazil and is more frequently used in the north and northeast regions of the country

Os autores apresentam os resultados obtidos com o estudo de Talisia esculenta (A. St.-Hil.) Radlk. (Sapindaceae), denominada principalmente de "pitomba" ou "pitombeira", envolvendo aspectos botânicos referentes à morfologia, taxonomia, distribuição geográfica e respectivos usos. A espécie é bastante difundida no Brasil, sendo que nas regiões norte e nordeste o seu uso é intenso.