title: Toxicity of Nerium oleander and Rhazya stricta in Najdi sheep: hematologic and clinicopathologic alterations.
abstract: The toxic effects of oral administration of 0.25 g/kg Nerium oleander leaves, 0.25 g/kg Rhazya stricta leaves or their mixture at 0.25 g/kg N. oleander leaves plus 0.25 g/kg R. stricta leaves on Najdi sheep were investigated. Daily oral dosing of R. stricta leaves for 42 days was not fatal to sheep while single oral doses of either N. oleander leaves or the mixture with R. stricta leaves proved fatal to animals within 24 hours with dyspnea, grunting, salivation, grinding of the teeth, ruminal bloat, frequent urination, ataxia and recumbency prior to death. The main lesions were widespread congestion or hemorrhage, pulmonary cyanosis, emphysema, bronchotracheal froths, and hepatonephropathy. The clinical and pathological changes were correlated with alterations in serum LDH and AST activities and concentrations of cholesterol, bilirubin, urea, total protein, albumin, and globulin and hematological values.
authors.affiliation: College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: S E I
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al-Yahya
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Al-Farhan
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D029062:Apocynaceae / Q000633:toxicity*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000187:drug effects; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D030007:Nerium / Q000633:toxicity*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D012756:Sheep; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase