The effects of Ipomoea carnea on goats and sheep

The clinical signs and lesions of Nubian goats and Desert sheep orally dosed with fresh and dry leaves and stems of Ipomoea carnea at 2.5, 5 and 10 g/kg/day were studied. The signs of Ipomoea poisoning were inappetence, depression, weakness of the hind limbs, dyspnea, staggering, and pallor of the visible mucous membranes. The main lesions were focal necrosis and fatty vacuolation of centrilobular hepatocytes, accumulation of fibroblasts in hepatic portal tracts, degeneration or necrosis of the cells of the renal proximal convoluted tubules, hemorrhage in renal cortices, in renal medullas and in cardiac muscle fibers, focal pulmonary edema, and emphysema and straw-colored fluid in serous cavities. Increased serum aspartate amino transferase and ammonia concentrations, and decreased concentrations of total protein, calcium and magnesium in the serum of Ipomoea-poisoned animals were detected. Hematological changes indicated the development of normocytic normochromic anaemia.