NEPHROTOXICITY OF NARTHECIUM-OSSIFRAGUM IN CATTLE IN NORWAY

During the summer of 1992 renal failure was diagnosed in 232 grazing c attle in 85 herds on the west coast of Norway. The salient clinical si gns were depression, anorexia and melaena or fresh blood in the faeces ; diarrhoea was also commonly observed. The serum concentrations of cr eatinine, urea, magnesium and phosphorus, and the activities of glutam ate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase mere above normal and the serum calcium concentration was below normal. Po st mortem examinations consistently revealed renal tubular necrosis. I n some cases there was liver necrosis and also erosions at the base of the tongue, in the oesophagus and in the jejunum and colon. The toxic ity was probably caused by the plant Narthecium ossifragum (bog asphod el).