When is CI Most Dangerous?
Creeping Indigo has a very deep tap root. (up to 6ft deep) Because of this, it is able to stay green longer in Fall-Winter and therefore, remain desirable in flavor while the rest of the pasture has become dry and flavorless from drought/cold.
It is also a known fact that CI seeds at it's highest rate during the Fall-Winter season. (up to 200-300 pods EACH PLANT!) Though, it is not known yet which parts of the CI plant contain the highest concentration of toxins; rule of nature with noxious weeds is that they hold the majority of their toxins in their seed pods/fruit.
CI is also believed to increase in toxicity when stressed. Stressors can include: drought, cold, mowers, herbicide treatment, high traffic etc.
In conclusion: Assuming that CI likely follows the rule of toxins being most concentrated in it's seed pods, combined with the fact that CI produces the highest number of seed pods during Fall-Winter, the liklihood that toxicity increases when stressed by cold/drought and knowing that the weed becomes even more desirable in comparison to the grass during this time...
The Fall-Winter season is considered to be the MOST DANGEROUS TIME for this weed.
The University of Florida has also made note in their studies that "outbreaks" in CI illness also coincide with this season. Which, is likely due to these conditions. This further indicates that this hypothesis is correct.
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.
How much has to be consumed in order to cause illness has not yet been studied and or published.
It is also a known fact that CI seeds at it's highest rate during the Fall-Winter season. (up to 200-300 pods EACH PLANT!) Though, it is not known yet which parts of the CI plant contain the highest concentration of toxins; rule of nature with noxious weeds is that they hold the majority of their toxins in their seed pods/fruit.
CI is also believed to increase in toxicity when stressed. Stressors can include: drought, cold, mowers, herbicide treatment, high traffic etc.
In conclusion: Assuming that CI likely follows the rule of toxins being most concentrated in it's seed pods, combined with the fact that CI produces the highest number of seed pods during Fall-Winter, the liklihood that toxicity increases when stressed by cold/drought and knowing that the weed becomes even more desirable in comparison to the grass during this time...
The Fall-Winter season is considered to be the MOST DANGEROUS TIME for this weed.
The University of Florida has also made note in their studies that "outbreaks" in CI illness also coincide with this season. Which, is likely due to these conditions. This further indicates that this hypothesis is correct.
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.
How much has to be consumed in order to cause illness has not yet been studied and or published.
