How Much is poisonous ? :
THE CONSUMPTION RATE FOR CREEPING INDIGO IS NOT YET KNOWN.
UF's Creeping Indigo Article (linked below) is commonly MISINTERPRETED and thus, believed to provide a consumption rate for Creeping Indigo ("indigo spicata").
However, if you read closely, you will see that they refer to Creeping Indigo's LESS TOXIC cousin, out of Australia, Birdsville Indigo ("indigo linneae"). Unfortunately, since studies have not yet concluded for Creeping Indigo, this is all there is to provide as a guideline at this time.
It can be fatally misleading, considering what we DO KNOW about Creeping Indigo, thus far.
Creeping Indigo contains higher amounts of both toxins: 3NPA & Indospicine than Birdsville Indigo. We also know that Indospicine is CUMULATIVE. Meaning, it builds in an animal’s system, like a metal, over a LIFETIME until it reaches symptoms expression levels. Field studies and cases also show that the effects of Creeping Indigo for each individual horse/animal vary depending on the weight, breed, age, protein intake, pre-existing health condition and other factors. So, what may be safe for one animal, can be deadly for another as far as consumption rates go. In almost all cases involving more than one animal exposed to the same Creeping Indigo present pastures, the animals varied in severity of illness. From: some, showing merely watery eyes and sensitivity to light. While, others expressed severe symptoms like: incoordination, seizures and death.
Therefore, minimizing exposure is the only guarantee of your animal's safety.
UF's Creeping Indigo Article (linked below) is commonly MISINTERPRETED and thus, believed to provide a consumption rate for Creeping Indigo ("indigo spicata").
However, if you read closely, you will see that they refer to Creeping Indigo's LESS TOXIC cousin, out of Australia, Birdsville Indigo ("indigo linneae"). Unfortunately, since studies have not yet concluded for Creeping Indigo, this is all there is to provide as a guideline at this time.
It can be fatally misleading, considering what we DO KNOW about Creeping Indigo, thus far.
Creeping Indigo contains higher amounts of both toxins: 3NPA & Indospicine than Birdsville Indigo. We also know that Indospicine is CUMULATIVE. Meaning, it builds in an animal’s system, like a metal, over a LIFETIME until it reaches symptoms expression levels. Field studies and cases also show that the effects of Creeping Indigo for each individual horse/animal vary depending on the weight, breed, age, protein intake, pre-existing health condition and other factors. So, what may be safe for one animal, can be deadly for another as far as consumption rates go. In almost all cases involving more than one animal exposed to the same Creeping Indigo present pastures, the animals varied in severity of illness. From: some, showing merely watery eyes and sensitivity to light. While, others expressed severe symptoms like: incoordination, seizures and death.
Therefore, minimizing exposure is the only guarantee of your animal's safety.
Creeping Indigo contains two toxins:
3-nitropropionate (3-NPA) - A highly toxic compound, produced by the plant primarily as defense against destruction by herbivores. The toxin is a potent and irreversible inhibitor of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme in transforming glucose and oxygen into useable energy. Nerve cells are extremely vulnerable to energy deprivation, thus accounting for the early and prominent neurologic signs seen with all types of 3-NPA toxicity. Because it is metabolized quickly, it is unlikely to be found in the serum of affected animals.
Indospicine - A non-protein amino acid. It is toxic to the liver because of antagonism to the essential amino acid arginine, with which it competes. It is a CUMULATIVE toxin meaning: it builds in their system over a LIFETIME and persists, even after, removal from the weed. One of its principal toxic actions is inhibition of nitric oxide synthase, an action likely associated with the development of corneal edema and ulceration of mucous membranes. Although horses are relatively resistant to the liver damaging effects of this toxin, it persists in the tissues of horses dying or killed with the disease and these tissues are potentially toxic. Indospicine CAN BE detected in the serum of affected animals however, that test is not currently included in U.S. toxicology panels.
3-nitropropionate (3-NPA) - A highly toxic compound, produced by the plant primarily as defense against destruction by herbivores. The toxin is a potent and irreversible inhibitor of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme in transforming glucose and oxygen into useable energy. Nerve cells are extremely vulnerable to energy deprivation, thus accounting for the early and prominent neurologic signs seen with all types of 3-NPA toxicity. Because it is metabolized quickly, it is unlikely to be found in the serum of affected animals.
Indospicine - A non-protein amino acid. It is toxic to the liver because of antagonism to the essential amino acid arginine, with which it competes. It is a CUMULATIVE toxin meaning: it builds in their system over a LIFETIME and persists, even after, removal from the weed. One of its principal toxic actions is inhibition of nitric oxide synthase, an action likely associated with the development of corneal edema and ulceration of mucous membranes. Although horses are relatively resistant to the liver damaging effects of this toxin, it persists in the tissues of horses dying or killed with the disease and these tissues are potentially toxic. Indospicine CAN BE detected in the serum of affected animals however, that test is not currently included in U.S. toxicology panels.