Histopathological Lesions on central nervous system intoxication of goats by Ipomoea carnea spp fistulosa (Convolvulácea)

RÍOS, E; ; CHOLICH, L; SILVA, J; ACOSTA DE PÉREZ, O

Revista Veterinaria

Vida Correntina

Lugar: Corrientes; Año: 2008 vol. 19 p. 130 - 134

1668-4834

Ipomoea carnea var. fistulosa (Convolvulaceae) is a perenne poisonous plant, found throughout the Argentine Northeastern. The intoxication produces a lysosomal storage disease in goats, sheep and cattle. Five goats were fed with 50 g/kgBW/day of fresh leaves, flowers and stems of I. carnea, during 43–60 days. Hirsute coat, depression, difficulty to stand up, ataxia, hypermetria, wide–based stance, incoordination of muscular movements, intense tremors, spastic paresis, abnormal postural reactions, nystagmus, hyperreflexia, hypersensitivity to sound, head tilting and loss of equilibrium were observed in all treated animals. The histopathologic study revealed the presence of cytoplasmatic vacuolation mainly in medulla oblongata and cerebellum. Control animals did not show any alterations. We conclude that this poisoning causes central nervous system damage, being Purkinje cells the most severely affected.