FURTHER-STUDIES ON THE PRESENCE, QUALITIES AND EFFECTS OF THE TOXIC PRINCIPLES FROM NARTHECIUM-OSSIFRAGUM PLANTS

One calf was dosed during one day with an aqueous extract from 3.0 kg (wet weight) of Narthecium ossifragum and another was dosed on the sam e day with the insoluble plant residue. The concentrations of serum cr eatinine and magnesium increased only in the calf dosed with the aqueo us extract, while the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase increased on ly in the serum of the calf dosed with the plant residue, so different iating the nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic principles as water-soluble and water-insoluble compounds, respectively. One calf was dosed with 30 g (wet weight) N. ossifragum Bower stems per kg live weight during one day and another was dosed with 30 g (wet weight) N. ossifragum leaves per kg live weight on the same day. The serum creatinine and urea conc entrations and also the activities of glutamate dehydrogenase, asparta te aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase in the serum increas ed in the calf dosed with the Bower stems, whereas there was only a sl ight temporary increase in the creatinine concentration in serum from the calf dosed with the leaves. However, histopathological examination of the kidneys of the calf dosed with the flower stems revealed sever e tubular necrosis and degeneration. It therefore appears that both th e toxic principles are present in the flower stems of N. ossifragum ra ther than in its leaves. The serum creatinine concentration was signif icantly increased in a non-ruminating calf dosed with an aqueous extra ct from 32 g (wet weight) N. ossifragum per kg liveweight during one d ay, showing the intrinsic nephrotoxicity of the plant.