By toxic effects of the dried leaves and stem of Capparis tomentosa on Nubian goats.

Nubian goats were given single or repeated dosages of 5, 2.5 and 0.25 g/kg of dried leaves or stem of C. tomentosa by drench and died or were slaughtered at various times post-dosing. One goat receiving Capparis stem at 2.5 g/kg on every other day basis for 8 days developed signs of toxicosis and recovered following cessation of plant administration. The prominent features of toxicity were inappetence, locomotor disturbances, paresis especially of the hind limbs and recumbency. Lesions comprised perineuronal vacuolation in the gray matter of the spinal cord at the sacral region, centrilobular hepatocellular necrosis, degeneration of the renal proximal convoluted and collecting tubules, serous atrophy of the cardiac fat and renal pelvis and straw-coloured fluid in serious cavities. In Capparis-fed goats, anaemia developed and the results of kidney and liver function tests were correlated with clinical abnormalities and pathologic changes.