Clinical & pathological features of acute toxicity due to Cassia occidentalis in vertebrates.
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Date
2009-07
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Abstract
Cassia occidentalis is an annual shrub found in many countries including India. Although bovines and
ovines do not eat it, parts of the plant are used in some traditional herbal medicines. Several animal
studies have documented that fresh or dried beans are toxic. Ingestion of large amounts by grazing
animals has caused serious illness and death. The toxic effects in large animals, rodents and chicken are
on skeletal muscles, liver, kidney and heart. The predominant systems involved depend upon the animal
species and the dose of the beans consumed. Brain functions are often affected. Gross lesions at necropsy
consist of necrosis of skeletal muscle fibres and hepatic centrilobular necrosis; renal tubular necrosis
is less frequent. Muscle and liver cell necrosis is reflected in biochemical abnormalities. The median
lethal dose (LD 50) is 1 g/kg for mice and rats. Toxicity is attributed to various anthraquinones and
their derivatives and alkaloids, but the specific toxins have not been identified. Data on human toxicity
are extremely scarce. This review summarizes information available on Cassia toxicity in animals and
compares it with toxic features reported in children. The clinical spectrum and histopathology of C.
occidentalis poisoning in children resemble those of animal toxicity, affecting mainly hepatic, skeletal
muscle and brain tissues. The case-fatality rate in acute severe poisoning is 75-80 per cent in children.
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Keywords
Animal toxicity, Cassia occidentalis, poisoning
Citation
Vashishtha V M, John T J, Kumar Amod. Clinical & pathological features of acute toxicity due to Cassia occidentalis in vertebrates. Indian Journal of Medical Research. 2009 Jul; 130(1): 23-30.