Response of Najdi sheep to oral administration of Citrullus colocynthis fruits, Nerium oleander leaves or their mixture

Susceptibility of sheep to oral administration of Citrullus colocynthis fru its, Nerium oleander leaves or their mixture is described in 12 sheep assig ned as untreated controls, C. colocynthis-treated at 0.25 g/kg/day, N. olea nder-treated at 0.25 g/kg and plant mixture-treated at 0.25 g of C, colocyn this/kg plus 0.25 g of N. oleander/kg. The daily use of 0.25 g of C. colocy nthis/kg for 42 days was not fatal to sheep and caused slight diarrhoea, ca tarrhal enteritis, centrilobular hepatocellular fatty change and degenerati on of the renal tubular cells. Single oral doses of 0.25 g of N. oleander/k g were lethal to sheep within 18-24 h and caused uneasiness, grinding of th e teeth, dyspnoea, anorexia, frequent urination, ruminal bloat, ataxia and recumbency before death. The main lesions were widespread congestion and ha emorrhage, pulmonary cyanosis and emphysema and seven hepatonephropathy. Ra pid death was also observed in sheep receiving single doses of the mixture of the two plants. Effects were correlated with changes in the activities o f serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate transaminase (AST) and con centrations of cholesterol, bilirubin, total protein, albumin, globulin and urea and haematological parameters. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.