Kochia-Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.-Poisonous plant

Kochia

General poisoning notes:

Kochia (Kochia scoparia) is both naturalized and cultivated as an outdoor ornamental in various parts of Canada. Ingestion has caused poisoning in cattle, horses, and sheep. Hepatogenous photosensitivity and liver damage often occur together, along with the outward signs of photosensitization. In addition, polioencephalomalacia, toxic hepatitis, and nephrosis can occur. Kochia has been examined as a forage crop because it is very drought-tolerant. Toxicity varies from one year to the next. Increased rainfall has raised the oxalate content of the plants. Oxalates are at least partly responsible for the complicated toxic affects of kochia ingestion (Galitzer and Oehme 1978, Dickie and Berryman 1979, Thilsted et al. 1989).

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.

Vernacular name(s): kochia

Scientific family name: Chenopodiaceae

Vernacular family name: goosefoot

Geographic Information

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Quebec
Saskatchewan

Toxic parts:

Flowers, leaves, seeds.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

Kochia has been found to contain total oxalates of up to 11.4% and maximum soluble oxalates of 4.7%. This level of soluble oxalates is sufficient to cause some of the signs of toxicity seen in poisoning. In addition, saponins and alkaloids have been described that may contribute to the complex symptoms of kochia ingestion (Dickie et al. 1989, Thilsted et al. 1989).

Toxic plant chemicals:

oxalate

Animals/Human Poisoning:

Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.

Cattle

General symptoms of poisoning:

anorexia

ataxia

blindness

breathing, labored

death

dehydration

depression

diarrhea

erythema

eye, discharge of

eyelids, swollen

eyes, rolling

head, movement of

icterus

incoordination

itchiness

lacrimation, severe

lethargy

liver, congestion of

lungs, congestion of

muscle spasms

muscle, weakness of

muzzle, crusty

nephrosis, severe

opisthotonos

polioencephalomalacia

recumbency, ventral

reflex excitability

salivation

skin, peeling of

teat necrosis of

urine, coffee-colored

Notes on poisoning:

In addition to photosensitization, symptoms can include ataxia, incoordination, muscular spasms, recumbency, and death. Because kochia causes hepatogenous photosensitization, disseminated jaundice is often seen along with enlarged fatty liver (Galitzer and Oehme 1978, Johnson 1983).