Experimental Tribulus terrestris poisoning in goats

Seven, 1–2-year-old native goats were fed dried Tribulus terrestris from Sabzevar district of Khorasan province for 8 weeks. Two goats showed clinical signs of toxicity including weight loss, depression, ruminal stasis, icterus and elevation of body temperature. Haematological and biochemical trails revealed a declining of packed cell volume (PCV) and plasma total protein and elevation of total and direct bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinin and potassium concentrations and serum aspartate amino transferase (AST) activity. At necropsy, the affected goats showed gross pathological changes and marked microscopic lesions in liver and kidneys including generalized icterus, hepatocellular degeneration and necrosis, biliary fibrosis and proliferation, renal tubular necrosis and crystalloid materials in bile ducts and renal tubules. Focal degeneration and necrosis of ventricular muscle of the heart were observed in one goat. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved