PLASMA FERULENOL CONCENTRATION AND ACTIVITY OF CLOTTING FACTORS IN SHEEP WITH FERULA-COMMUNIS VARIETY BREVIFOLIA INTOXICATION

Dynamics of plasma ferulenol concentration and its effect on the vitam in K-dependent coagulation factors, prothrombin time (PT), and activat ed partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were determined in 4 sheep intox icated individually with 600 g of powdered Ferula communis variety bre vifolia (FCb) given in 8 doses at intervals of 6 hours. Ferulenol was detected in the plasma of all sheep at initial blood sample collection , 6 hours after the first dose of approximately 75 g of FCb was placed in the rumen. The last observed peak of approximately 20 mu g/ml was detected at about 12 hours after the last of 8 doses, and the mean con centration then decreased to < 1 mu g/ml during the next 70 hours. Max imal concentration of ferulenol and time for plasma clearance varied w ith individual sheep. The pr increased steadily to a maximum of 6 time s normal about 70 hours after the last peak plasma ferulenol concentra tion and about 80 hours after FCb administration was stopped. The pr t hen returned to almost normal (ratio of 1.12) from the maximum (ratio of 6.12) within approximately 5 days. The APTT results generally paral leled the PT results, but the change was not as marked. Maximal FT and APTT ratios were animal-dependent and not always related to plasma fe rulenol concentration. The activity of all the vitamin K-dependent coa gulation factors was depressed, but the variations were unique to each factor. Factor V, a vitamin K-independent coagulation factor actually had a brief period of increased plasma activity. We concluded that th e effects on PT, APTT, and vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors ind uced in sheep intoxicated with FCb were consistent with the coumarinic structure of ferulenol, the intoxicating compound in FCb, which seems to have a short-term anticoagulation effect.