BY TOXIC EFFECTS OF THE DRIED LEAVES AND STEM OF CAPPARIS-TOMENTOSA ON NUBIAN GOATS

Nubian goats were given single or repeated dosages of 5, 2.5 and 0.25 g/kg of dried leaves or stem of C. tomentosa by drench and died or wer e slaughtered at various times post-dosing. One goat receiving Cappari s stem at 2.5 g/kg on every other day basis for 8 days developed signs of toxicosis and recovered following cessation of plant administratio n. The prominent features of toxicity were inappetence, locomotor dist urbances, paresis especially of the hind limbs and recumbency. Lesions comprised perineuronal vacuolation in the gray matter of the spinal c ord at the sacral region, centrilobular hepatocellular necrosis, degen eration of the renal proximal convoluted and collecting tubules, serou s atrophy of the cardiac fat and renal pelvis and straw-coloured fluid in serous cavities. In Capparis-fed goats, anaemia developed and the results of kidney and liver function tests were correlated with clinic al abnormalities and pathologic changes.