NEPHROTOXICITY IN LAMBS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY EXPERIMENTAL FEEDING WITH NARTHECIUM-OSSIFRAGUM

Seven lambs were fed a mixture of bog plants containing 15 g (wet matt er) Narthecium ossifragum per kg live weight for 10 consecutive days. Their serum creatinine concentration increased from day 1 to 4 but the n fell to normal by day 6 after feeding started. In the same animals, the serum magnesium concentration was increased on days 3, 4 and 5. Hi stopathological examination of the kidneys of 2 lambs killed after bei ng fed 25 g N. ossifragum per kg live weight for one day revealed tubu lar epithelial cell degeneration and necrosis. There were no signs df disease or distress in the experimental animals and their appetite rem ained normal throughout the experimental period. It was concluded that N. ossifragum is probably nephrotoxic to lambs.