Intoxicação natural e experimental por Leucaena leucocephala em equinos

This paper reports the main clinical changes of natural and experimentally poisoning by Leucaena leucocephala in horses. Outbreaks of poisoning occurred in Sao Paulo and Goias States, where six horses after ingestion of bark and/or leaves of the plant showed alopecia mainly in mane and tail. The diagnosis was based on the observation of plant intake and clinical signs. In horses experimentally poisoned, clinical examination was performed and skin biopsies were taken from mane, back and tail regions, and triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) serum levels were assayed. Alopecia in mane and tail was the main clinical sign, accompanied by anorexia, weight loss and lethargy in all horses. T3 and total T4 showed significant decrease in serum levels (p≤0.05) in the third week of leucaena intake compared with baseline levels. Marked telogenization of hair follicles at the end of the experiments were observed in skin biopsies. The clinical and pathological findings in poisoned horses are similar to those observed in ruminants. Experimental poisoning of horses by the plant highlights the marked decline in levels of thyroid hormones, suggesting goitrogenic effect of mimosine and its derived compounds, with transient hypothyroidism and alopecia due to accentuated reduction in follicular activity.