Geophagia in horses: a short note on 13 cases

Recorded in several species including humans, geophagia or soil eating has been observed in both wild and domesticated horses and has generally been regarded as an indication of nutritional deficiency or "boredom". Studies of soils consumed by different species have led to several theories as to the identity of soil constituents that stimulate geophagia. In this study, geochemical analysis of 13 equine geophagic sites from different parts of Australia was undertaken. Significantly larger concentrations of iron and copper were found in soil samples from geophagic sites when compared to paired control samples, suggesting that these elements provide the stimulus for geophagia.     

Human Geophagia,Calabash Chalk and Undongo: Mineral Element Nutritional Implications

The prime aim of our work is to report and comment on the bioaccessible concentrations – i.e., the soluble content of chemical elements in the gastrointestinal environment that is available for absorption – of a number of essential mineral nutrients and potentially harmful elements (PHEs) associated with the deliberate ingestion of African geophagical materials, namely Calabash chalk and Undongo. The pseudo-total concentrations of 13 mineral nutrients/PHEs were quantified following a nitric-perchloric acid digestion of nine different Calabash chalk samples, and bioaccessible contents of eight of these chemical elements were determined in simulated saliva/gastric and intestinal solutions obtained via use of the Fed ORganic Estimation human Simulation Test (FOREhST) in vitro procedure. The Calabash chalk pseudo-total content of the chemical elements is often below what may be regarded as average for soils/shales, and no concentration is excessively high. The in vitro leachate solutions had concentrations that were often lower than those of the blanks used in our experimental procedure, indicative of effective adsorption: lead, a PHE about which concern has been previously raised in connection with the consumption of Calabash chalk, was one such chemical element where this was evident. However, some concentrations in the leachate solutions are suggestive that Calabash chalk can be a source of chemical elements to humans in bioaccessible form, although generally the materials appear to be only a modest supplier: this applies even to iron, a mineral nutrient that has often been linked to the benefits of geophagia in previous academic literature. Our investigations indicate that at the reported rates of ingestion, Calabash chalk on the whole is not an important source of mineral nutrients or PHEs to humans. Similarly, although Undongo contains elevated pseudo-total concentrations of chromium and nickel, this soil is not a significant source to humans for any of the bioaccessible elements investigated.     

Geophagia by mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) in the Virunga Mountains,Rwanda

Mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) occasionally eat material from weathered regolith (subsoil) sediments in the Virunga Mountains of northwestern Rwanda. The possible nutritional significance of this behaviour has been investigated by analyzing the geochemistry, primary mineral composition, and clay content of several regolith and surface soil (paleosol) samples. Iron, Na, and Br content may be important in geophagy, and clay present in the soil may also have nutritional importance.     

Vesiculocytosis]

Phenomenon of false plaque formation due to release of the cell contents into the surrounding environment and cell pyknosis occurred in case of replacement of physiological saline by hypertonic (10--15%) salt solutions in making the blood and tissue preparations for detection of plaque-forming cells producing autoa antibodies. This phenomenon took place with blood karyocytes of various species of animals and man with the action of different salts, for example sodium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, calcium chloride, etc. False plaque formation in hypertonic solutions failed to take place in all the cells in the preparation, i.e. depended on cell condition. This phenomenon was particularly pronounced at the period of maximal immune response of the cells.