EFSA Compendium of Botanicals

Draft - work in progress

Bracken (as plant) // Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn.

Family:: Dennstaedtiaceae (Hypolepidaceae)
Approval state:: Approved
Number of articles retrieved:: 2907
Number of processed references:: 8

Compositions

Endpoint Studies

#1: Guinea pigs after 30 days started to develop neoplastic lesions, inflammatory, degenerative and adaptation processes. Tumors mainly developed in the bladder, lung, intestine, spleen and lymph nodes. (ingestion of pellets containing one third of Pteridium aquilinum and two thirds of concentrate during 135 days. The guinea pig was used as a experimental model for cattle) #2: Mortality in cattle #3: Morbidity and mortality were 17.9% and lethality was virtually 100% Hematological changes: severe neutropenia, non-regenerative normocytic normochromic anemia and thrombocytopenia, hemorrhages in organs and liver, hepatic infarcts, bone marrow aplasia, fever, apathy, drooling, hematuria and blood in the milk. #4: acute hemorrhagic syndrome leading to death in cattle #5: Nephrotoxicity in deers

Genotoxicity

#1: Positive mutagenicity to Salmonella typhimurium. #2: DNA damage activity in gastric cells of mice. #3: Sister chromatids exchange in human mononuclear blood cells by Ptaquiloside due to DNA-alkylating properties and its genotoxicity through multiple mechanisms including clastogenesis, aneugenesis and the mechanism underlying SCE induction

Composition #1: Gil da Costa, Rui M., Coelho, Patricia., Sousa, Rosa., Bastos, Margarida M. S. M., Porto, Beatriz., Teixeira, Joao P., Malheiro, Isabel., Lopes, Carlos. Multiple genotoxic activities of ptaquiloside in human lymphocytes: Aneugenesis, clastogenesis and induction of sister chromatid exchange . mutation research-genetic toxicology and environmental mutagenesis, 2012, vol. 747, no. 1, p. 77–81. DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2012.04.010. [DOI link]

Language:

English (en)
Plant part:

Aerial part of plants (as part-nature) (A166F)
Extraction/Preparation method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional extraction description:

Methanol
Substance:

ptaquiloside (RF-00004016-PAR)
Analytical method code:

Chromatographic tests (F015A)
Result unit:

Percent (G138A)
Result expression:

Dry matter (B002A)
Result type:

Numerical Value (VAL)
Value (concentration, content):

0.01
Internal remarks:

Ptaquiloside in unspecified part

Endpoint study #1: Ramos G, Mariella., Chavera C, Alfonso., Tabacchi N, Luis., Huamán U, Héctor., Sandoval C, Nieves., Rodríguez G, José. LESIONES ANÁTOMO-PATOLÓGICAS EN CUYES INTOXICADOS EXPERIMENTALMENTE CON PTERIDIUM AQUILINUM COMO MODELO ANIMAL PARA BOVINOS CON HEMATURIA VESICAL ENZOÓTICA BOVINA . revista de investigaciones veterinarias del perú, 2012, vol. 23, no. 2, p. 201–208. .

Study relevance:

Animal (target species) health
Preparation/Extraction method:

Drying (dehydration) (A07KG)
Type of toxicological test:

chronic/long term toxicity (CHD004TT)
Tested organism:

Guinea pig (as animal) (A0CTN)
Sex:

Female
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Exposure duration:

135.0
Unit of exposure duration:

Day (G134A)
Number of organisms dosed:

12
Control groups used:

yes
Endpoint measured:

Dose not reported (CHD066EP)
Critical effect:

Other toxicities (TOX19A)
Target tissue:

urogenital: Urinary Bladder (TT051A)
Effect description:

The lesions developed were neoplastic, inflammatory, degenerative and adaptation processes. Tumors mainly developed in the bladder, lung, intestine, spleen and lymph nodes.
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

Carcinogenic (CHD036BE)
Internal remarks:

Guinea pigs after 30 days started to develop neoplastic lesions, inflammatory, degenerative and adaptation processes. Tumors mainly developed in the bladder, lung, intestine, spleen and lymph nodes. (ingestion of pellets containing one third of Pteridium aquilinum and two thirds of concentrate during 135 days. The guinea pig was used as a experimental model for cattle)

Endpoint study #2: Gava, A., Neves, DD., Gava, D., Saliba, TD., Schild, AL., Riet-Correa, F. Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) poisoning in cattle in southern Brazil . veterinary and human toxicology, 2002, vol. 44, no. 6, p. 362–365. .

Study relevance:

Animal (target species) health
Plant part:

Aerial part of plants (as part-nature) (A166F)
Type of toxicological test:

case report (CHD060TT)
Limit test:

Not applicable
Tested organism:

Cattle (as animal) (A057E)
Sex:

No data
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Control groups used:

no
Endpoint measured:

Dose not reported (CHD066EP)
Critical effect:

HEMOPOIETIC (TOX10A)
Target tissue:

Cardiovascular / Haematological (TT001A)
Effect description:

Of 3,407 necropsied cattle, 244 (7.16%) were diagnosed as intoxicated by P aquilinum; 122 of those were of the hemorrhagic form, 103 had tumors in the upper digestive tract, 19 were cases of chronic hematuria.
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

mortality (CHD010BE)
Internal remarks:

Mortality in cattle

Endpoint study #3: Anjos, Bruno L., Irigoyen, Luiz F., Fighera, Rafael A., Gornes, Aline D., Kommers, Glaucia D., Barros, Claudio S. L. Acute poisoning by bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) in cattle in central Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil . pesquisa veterinaria brasileira, 2008, vol. 28, no. 10, p. 501–507. .

Study relevance:

Animal (target species) health
Plant part:

Aerial part of plants (as part-nature) (A166F)
Additional plant/substance description:

bracken fern ingestions by cattle
Type of toxicological test:

case report (CHD060TT)
Limit test:

No
Sex:

Male/Female
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Exposure duration:

1.0
Unit of exposure duration:

Day (G134A)
Number of organisms dosed:

6256
Control groups used:

no
Endpoint measured:

Dose not reported (CHD066EP)
Critical effect:

HEMOPOIETIC (TOX10A)
Target tissue:

Cardiovascular / Haematological (TT001A)
Effect description:

Hematological changes: severe neutropenia, non-regenerative normocytic normochromic anemia and thrombocytopenia, hemorrhages in organs and liver, hepatic infarcts, bone marrow aplasia, fever, apathy, drooling, hematuria and blood in the milk
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

haematology (CHD023BE)
Internal remarks:

Morbidity and mortality were 17.9% and lethality was virtually 100% Hematological changes: severe neutropenia, non-regenerative normocytic normochromic anemia and thrombocytopenia, hemorrhages in organs and liver, hepatic infarcts, bone marrow aplasia, fever, apathy, drooling, hematuria and blood in the milk.

Endpoint study #4: Plessers, E., Pardon, B., Deprez, P., De Backer, P., Croubels, S. Acute hemorrhagic syndrome by bracken poisoning in cattle in Belgium. vlaams diergeneeskundig tijdschrift, 2013, vol. 82, no. 1, p. 31–37. .

Study relevance:

Animal (target species) health
Plant part:

Aerial part of plants (as part-nature) (A166F)
Additional plant/substance description:

not applicable
Type of toxicological test:

case report (CHD060TT)
Limit test:

Not applicable
Tested organism:

Cattle (as animal) (A057E)
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Exposure duration:

3.0
Unit of exposure duration:

Month (G206A)
Number of organisms dosed:

2
Control groups used:

no
Endpoint measured:

Dose not reported (CHD066EP)
Critical effect:

HEMOPOIETIC (TOX10A)
Effect description:

acute hemorrhagic syndrome (including clinical signs epistaxis, high fever, melena and a stiff gait) leading to death in cattle
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

haematology (CHD023BE)
Internal remarks:

acute hemorrhagic syndrome leading to death in cattle

Endpoint study #5: Scala, Christopher., Ortiz, Katia., Catinaud, Jerome., Lemberger, Karin. HEMATURIA AND URINARY BLADDER LESIONS COMPATIBLE WITH BRACKEN FERN (PTERIDIUM AQUILINUM) INTOXICATION IN CAPTIVE FALLOW DEER (DAMA DAMA) . journal of zoo and wildlife medicine, 2014, vol. 45, no. 2, p. 380–385. DOI: 10.1638/2013-0274R1.1. [DOI link]

Study relevance:

Animal (target species) health
Plant part:

Aerial part of plants (as part-nature) (A166F)
Type of toxicological test:

case report (CHD060TT)
Tested organism:

Animals (as animal) (A04SF)
Sex:

No data
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Number of organisms dosed:

6
Control groups used:

no
Endpoint measured:

Dose not reported (CHD066EP)
Critical effect:

NEPHROTOXICITY (TOX03A)
Target tissue:

urogenital: Urinary Bladder (TT051A)
Effect description:

Hemangiosarcoma, hemangioma, transitional cell carcinoma, and chronic cystitis were diagnosed in the urinary bladder of six fallow deer. Hematuria was observed in the four apparently advanced cases.
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

histopathology neoplastic (CHD024BE)
Internal remarks:

Nephrotoxicity in deers

Genotox #1: Fukuoka, M., Kuroyanagi, M., Yoshihira, K., Natori, S., Nagao, M., Takahashi, Y., Sugimura, T. Chemical and toxicological studies on bracken fern, pteridium aquilinum var. Latiusculum. IV. Surveys on bracken constituents by mutagen test. journal of pharmacobio-dynamics, 1978, vol. 1, no. 5, p. 324–331. DOI: 10.1248/bpb1978.1.324. [DOI link]

Study category:

Mutagenicity
Type of toxicological test:

bacterial gene mutation assay (CHD027TT)
Method type:

in vivo
Tested organism:

Salmonella typhimurium (as organism) (A0CPZ)
Sex:

No data
Exogenous metabolic activation applied:

no data
Route of exposure:

OTHER (OECD0PL)
Control groups used:

no
Is genotoxic:

Positive
Remarks on genotox study:

kaempferol showed noticeable mutagenicity to Salmonella typhimurium, strains TA 100 and TA 98, with S-9 mix.
Internal remarks:

Positive mutagenicity to Salmonella typhimurium.
Internal ID:

eid=2-s2.0-0018249842

Genotox #2: Gomes, Joana., Magalhaes, Ana., Michel, Valerie., Amado, Ines F., Aranha, Paulo., Ovesen, Rikke G., Hansen, Hans C. B., Gaertner, Fatima., Reis, Celso A., Touati, Eliette. Pteridium aquilinum and Its Ptaquiloside Toxin Induce DNA Damage Response in Gastric Epithelial Cells, a Link With Gastric Carcinogenesis . toxicological sciences, 2012, vol. 126, no. 1, p. 60–71. DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfr329. [DOI link]

Study category:

Genotoxicity
Type of toxicological test:

DNA damage and repair assay, unscheduled DNA synthesis in mammalian cells in vitro (CHD038TT)
Method type:

in vivo
Tested organism:

House mouse (as animal) (A0CNT)
Sex:

Male
Route of exposure:

ORAL: DRINKING WATER (OECD2229PL)
Exposure duration for in vivo:

2.0
Unit of exposure duration:

Week (G205A)
Number of organisms dosed:

32
Control groups used:

no
Endpoint measured:

DNA damage and/or repair
Is genotoxic:

Positive
Remarks on genotox study:

genotoxic activity and activation of a DNA damage response in gastric cells associated with P. aquilinum exposure, due in part to the DNA damage activity of the PTA toxin
Internal remarks:

DNA damage activity in gastric cells of mice.
Internal ID:

WOS:000300989300007

Genotox #3: Gil da Costa, Rui M., Coelho, Patricia., Sousa, Rosa., Bastos, Margarida M. S. M., Porto, Beatriz., Teixeira, Joao P., Malheiro, Isabel., Lopes, Carlos. Multiple genotoxic activities of ptaquiloside in human lymphocytes: Aneugenesis, clastogenesis and induction of sister chromatid exchange . mutation research-genetic toxicology and environmental mutagenesis, 2012, vol. 747, no. 1, p. 77–81. DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2012.04.010. [DOI link]

Study category:

Genotoxicity
Type of toxicological test:

sister chromatid exchange assay in mammalian cells (CHD039TT)
Method type:

in vitro
Tested organism:

Human (as organism) (A056J)
Sex:

Male/Female
Exposure duration for in vivo:

50.0
Unit of exposure duration:

Minute (G074A)
Number of organisms dosed:

10
Endpoint measured:

chromosome aberration
Is genotoxic:

Positive
Remarks on genotox study:

ptaquiloside induces a dose-dependent increase in Sister chromatids exchange in human mononuclear blood cells. Ptaquiloside is a multifunctional genotoxic agent that affects genomic integrity in several ways, all of which contributing to increased cancer susceptibility
Internal remarks:

Sister chromatids exchange in human mononuclear blood cells by Ptaquiloside due to DNA-alkylating properties and its genotoxicity through multiple mechanisms including clastogenesis, aneugenesis and the mechanism underlying SCE induction
Internal ID:

WOS:000306381400011