Poisonous birds: what’s new

3 out of 5 stars Poisonous birds: A timely review. Ligabue-Braun R, Carlini CR. Toxicon 2015 Mar 31;99:102-108. Abstract It was just over two decades ago that Dumbacher et al published their landmark paper describing the presence of the alkaloid batrachotoxin (BTX, “frog poison”) in the skin and feathers of three species of Pitohui bird in New Guinea. This toxin binds to voltage-gated sodium channels maintaining them in the open position. This action causes depolarization of nerves and myocardial cells. This may serve the bird by acting as a “chemical defense” against large predators, or as a means of parasite control. Since BTX is present at relatively low levels, human exposure can cause numbness, sneezing, burning, nausea and a bitter taste, but is usually not fatal. The 1992 paper by Dumbacher et al was one of the first description of toxicity in a bird. Since then, researchers have described toxicity in several other avian species: European migratory quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix): Consuming these quail can cause rhabdomyolysis in certain individuals who may be deficient in a specific muscle enzyme. This syndrome is called coturnism. Neither the enzyme nor a causative toxin has been identified as yet. Some scholars believe that the following biblical passage (Numbers 11:31-33) describes an epidemic of coturnism: Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits deep all around the ca...
Source: The Poison Review - Category: Toxicology Authors: Tags: Medical batrachotoxin bird catharidin coturnism hoopoe pitohui bird poison quail rhabdomyolysis spur-winged goose toxicity Source Type: news