Effects of Jatropha curcas on Calves

TLDR: The clinical signs of diarrhoea, dyspnoea, dehydration and loss of condition were well correlated with the pathological findings and there was an increase in aspartate aminotransferase, ammonia and potassium and a decrease in total protein and calcium in the serum of jatrophapoisoned calves.

Abstract: Jatropha curcas seed was fed to six calves at doses of 2.5. I and 0.25 g/kg once and to two other calves at 0.025 g/kg up to 14 days. The onset of toxic manifestations in the six calves was rapid and death occurred within 19 hours of administration. The two calves that received daily the lowest dose of J. curcas showed signs of poisoning and died within 10 to 14 days. The clinical signs of diarrhoea. dyspnoea. dehydration and loss of condition were well correlated with the pathological findings. There was an increase in aspartate aminotransferase. ammonia and potassium and a decrease in total protein and calcium in the serum ofjatropha- poisoned calves. Jarropha curcas is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae and is toxic for laboratory animals (2, 141. Goats fed J. curcas seeds developed fatty change and necrosis of the liver, haemorrhage in the compound stomach, kidney, lung and heart, catarrhal enteritis and excessive fluid in the serous cavities (3). J. Curcas contains a protein. curcin, which is believed mainly to cause the toxicity of the plant. Volatile oils and other substances also add to the toxicity ( 12, 141. The medicinal uses of the plant in the Sudan have been described (4, 51. Variations in response to J. curcas between species of domestic animals have not been studied.