Posted on 03/25/2004 4:38:57 PM PST by nuconvert
Scientists Say Weight-Loss Substance May Have Caused Elk Deaths in Wyoming
Mar 25, 2004
By Mead Gruver/ Associated Press Writer /
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A substance found in some weight-loss diet supplements - and in a type of lichen - may have fatally poisoned more than 300 elk in Wyoming in recent weeks, scientists say. Scientists theorize the substance, usnic acid, may have caused the animals to weaken and collapse - too helpless to eat, drink or escape predators. The chemical was extracted from tumbleweed shield lichen, which grows on the ground in many northern states.
Captive elk fed it developed the same fatal illness; usnic acid poisoning also has been documented in livestock, though cattle tend to recover.
Scientists say they cannot yet confirm their suspicion. For example, it is not clear why the poisoning didn't affect the animals' livers - as it might in humans. Instead, the elk muscles appeared pale and sickly.
"That's one of the reasons we don't want to chalk this up to usnic acid at this point," said Walt Cook, a wildlife veterinarian at Wyoming's state veterinary lab in Laramie. "Either the usnic acid is affecting the elk differently or it's not usnic acid at all. There may well be other compounds in there that may be the toxic compounds."
Cook said it will take a few more months to confirm a cause.
Usnic acid has anti-bacterial properties and lichen containing it have several uses in traditional medicine, including as a poultice. Put into pills, it can promote weight loss by boosting metabolism.
Side effects from the substance have occurred, however. In January, the Food and Drug Administration said more study is needed of three diet drugs, including usnic acid.
In 2001, the FDA asked Syntrax Innovations to stop selling Lipokinetix, a diet drug containing usnic acid, saying it was to blame for a number of serious liver injuries in some people who used the drug more than two weeks.
Usnic acid is still readily available over the Internet.
"As we learn of the information and evaluate the science behind it, we'll proceed accordingly," said Kimberly Rawlings, an FDA spokeswoman.
I'm surprised they didn't bring up SUVs as the carriers of the "weight-loss substance." This is about as dishonest a headline... as every other headline coming out of the mainstream press these days!
Here's a better version of the headline
The NATURALLY occuring substance which is a NATURAL part of lichen and can also be extracted, refined and, in proper doses, used as a weight-loss medicine, may have contributed to the deaths of these very dumb elk.
sheesh!
Except for the 'dumb elk' part this is an excellent comment. All too often people who rail about the use of herbal medicines or alternative health practices are seeing the results of items like this.
By refining and extracting the core constituents of an herb you are changing the results of the item. Thus, an herb which can be safely and effectively used in formulation in its raw state can become a highly toxic substance, i.e. ma huang refined into 'speed' or 'diet pills.'
My family homesteaded in Riverton, Wyoming, when it was founded. I've spent a good bit of time there, and in DuBois and much of the rest of the state. I've had the chance to interact with a few elk. Elk may be somewhat cunning, but they are, undoubtedly, dumb. They make pigeons look reasonable on occassion.
All too often people who rail about the use of herbal medicines or alternative health practices are seeing the results of items like this.
By refining and extracting the core constituents of an herb you are changing the results of the item. Thus, an herb which can be safely and effectively used in formulation in its raw state can become a highly toxic substance
Isn't the problem here that the elk ate the "natural" lichen in it's "natural" state, before all of the nasty "refining and extracting of the core constituents?"
Remember, Euell Gibbons (Stalking the Wild Asparagus) died of NATURAL causes ;^>
Bottom line, I'm not interested in the lichen or the "weight-loss substance" in question. I'm commenting on the dishonest headline.
In re-reading the story I still am not clear if they are talking about wild elk eating lichen or if they are referring to captive elk eatening the extract in their feed.
What ever the story, somebody has some dead elk.
There are a few elk farms out there that raise elk to harvest their horns. The horns are used in some herbal products.
Anyway, I'll not be confused about elk intelligence anymore. Thanks.
It's wild elk across various parts of northern Wyoming. With my family connections there (still have 2 Uncles and Aunts, as well as a slew of cousins, living there) I latched onto the first versions of the story when it was just mysterious deaths. That was why I was complaining about the headline.
And, I really don't know elk all THAT well. However, I do know dumb when I see it. I'm all too qualified at that ;^>
best
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