RESUMO Na região oeste do Rio Grande do Norte, diversos surtos de intoxicação em ovinos têm sido atribuídos ao consumo de Blutaparon portulacoides, conhecida como pirrixiu, bredo-de-praia e capotiraguá. No entanto, não há nenhum trabalho na literatura avaliando se realmente ocorre intoxicação por esta planta. Assim, o presente trabalho tem por objetivo determinar se o pirrixiu pode promover intoxicação nos ovinos. Foram utilizadas 3 ovelhas SRD, com aproximadamente 6 meses de idade, saudáveis pesando aproximadamente 15 kg. Elas receberam, como alimento exclusivo, fardos de pirrixiu por um período de 3 meses. A planta e a água foram ofertados ad libitum durante todo o período experimental. Os animais foram diariamente monitorados para determi nação de possíveis alterações clínicas. Após três meses da administração, as ovelhas foram abatidas, sendo coletados fragmentos de intestino grosso, intestino delgado, fígado, rins, rúmen, retículo, omaso e abomaso para análise histopatológica. Também foram coletadas partes aéreas de B. portulacoides para determinação das concentrações dos íons sódio, fósforo, potássio, cálcio, magnésio, cobre, zinco, ferro e manganês. Foi verificada que a alimentação exclusiva de ovinos com B. portulacoides é responsável por distúrbios no trato digestório, caracterizados por amole cimento das fezes e lesões no epitélio intestinal (desprendimento do epitélio das vilosidades intestinais, hiperplasia das células caliciformes, infiltrado inflamatório na submucosa e infiltrado de células mononucleares na lâmina própria). O possível mecanismo da intoxicação é o desequilíbrio osmótico no trato digestório promovido pela deficiência de sódio e excesso de magnésio, potássio e cálcio na planta.

ABSTRACT In the west region of Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, several outbreaks of poisoning in sheep have been attributed to consumption of Blutaparon portulacoides, known as “pirrixiu,” “bredo-de-praia” and “capotiraguá.” However, there is no work in the literature evaluating the occurrence of poisoning by this plant. Thus, the present study aimed to determine whether B. portulacoides could produce poisoning in sheep. The study involved three healthy female crossbred sheep, aged 6 months old, weighing approximately 15 kg. They were fed, as exclusive food, bales of B. portulacoides for 3 months. The plant and the water were offered ad libitum during all the experimental period. The animals were monitored daily for determination of possible clinical alterations. After three months of this administration, the sheep were sacrificed, for collection of fragments of intestines, liver, kidneys, rumen, reticule, omasum and abomasum for histopathological analysis. Aerial parts of B. portulacoides were also collected for determination of the concentrations of sodium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, cupper, zinc, iron and manganese ions. It was found that the exclusive feeding of sheep with B. portulacoides is responsible for disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by the softening of feces and lesions in the intestinal epithelium (unfastening of the intestinal villous epithelium, hyperplasic caliciform cells, inflammatory infiltrate in the submucosa and infiltrate of mononuclear cells in the lamina propria). The possible mechanism of the poisoning is osmotic disequilibria in the gastrointestinal tract promoted by the deficiency of sodium and excess of magnesium, potassium and calcium in the plant.

The creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) seric activities in horses of different activity classes (athlete, traction, and reproduction), were compared. Fifty-eight horses were alloted into three groups - group 1 with 20 athletes, "vaquejada" competitors; group 2 with 20 breeding horses; and group 3 with 18 draft horses, averaging 10 working hours daily. The average values for CK serum activity were 80.2, 83.9, and 94.4 U/l in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Result of group 3 was significantly different from the other groups. The averages values for LDH were 102.5, 98.6, and 112.8 U/l in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, with no statistical difference between groups. The AST averages were 56.8, 33.0, and 50.1 U/l in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, with group 2 significantly differing from the others. Clinical biochemistry values of muscular function in horses varied according to activity category.

The peritoneal fluid from six female health donkeys was evaluated. In each animal, it was carried out eight abdominocentesis with 40x12 needles, at 72-hour intervals. All animals presented clinical changes, and there was higher frequency of yellow-tinged fluid with turbidity aspect. Means, and respective standard deviations, for cytology and protein concentration were: erythrocytes, 24.7±11.7x10³/mm³; leukocytes, 15.8±6.79x10³/mm³; mesothelial cells, 3.85±1.30x10³/mm³; neutrophils, 10.9±4.51x10³/mm³; lymphocytes, 1.41±0.51x10³/mm³; macrophages, 0.98±0.55x10³/mm³; eosinophils, 2.48±1.36x10³/mm³, and total proteins, 1.97±0.31 g/dl.