Yew (Taxus) intoxication in free-ranging cervids

PLoS One. 2017 Dec 27;12(12):e0188961. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188961. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Wild ruminants, including deer species (cervids) have incorrectly been regarded as refractory to yew (Taxus) intoxication. This assumption has been based upon anecdotal observations of individual deer browsing on yew over time without apparent adverse effect. A single case of yew intoxication was reported in a free-ranging Norwegian moose (Alces alces) in 2008. The current report describes five additional cases of yew toxicosis in moose, seven in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and two in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus), all in Norway. The animals were found dead during the winter, close to or within gardens containing yew plants showing signs of browsing. Gross findings included lung congestion and edema, thoracic and pericardial effusion, bilateral heart dilatation, epi- and endocardial hemorrhage, and enlarged (congested) spleen. Yew plant remnants were detected in the rumen of all animals with the exception of a single moose. Histology revealed multifocal acute myocardial degeneration and necrosis with hemorrhage in roe deer, but not in the two other species. A qualitative high performance liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry analysis was used to tentatively identify five major Taxus alkaloids (taxines) in crude yew extracts and in heart and liver samples from the moose cases. All five major taxines were detected with good signal/noise ratio in tissue samples from the four moose with visible ruminal yew content, whereas lower levels of taxines were detected in the moose without visible ruminal yew content. Possible differences in interspecies tolerance to taxines and role of individual protective adaptation are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / isolation & purification
  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Deer / physiology*
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Norway
  • Plants, Toxic*
  • Species Specificity
  • Taxus* / chemistry

Substances

  • Alkaloids

Grants and funding

The study was carried out within the frame of the Health Surveillance Programme for Wild Cervids and Muskox that is financed by the Norwegian Environment Agency. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.