Poisoning by Atractylis gummifera L. Roots in Grazing Cattle of a Sicilian Farm

Atractylis gummifera L. is a perennial herbaceous plant, thorny and fragrant, with a flexible rhizome and tap root, that is present in Mediterranean countries and in the regions of southern Italy. Every year, it is responsible for serious and often fatal poisonings in humans and also in animals due to poor toxicological knowledge, the rapid evolution of intoxication, and related clinical/diagnostic difficulties. Actually, few data are present in the literature on animal poisoning due to this plant. This investigation reports the poisoning of grazing cattle by the ingestion of Atractylis gummifera L. roots present in a recently plowed pasture of a Sicilian farm. In particular, the symptoms (especially gastrointestinal, hepatic and renal), the course of poisoning (hyperacute–acute), necroscopy investigations, and hematological analyses are described. This study, therefore, could be useful for farm veterinarians regarding the diagnosis of Astractylus gummifera L. root poisoning in cattle.