Toxicity of Neguvon to Nubian Goats

Abstract

Thirty three male Nubian goats were used to evaluate toxicity of neguvon, an important organophosphorus anthelmintic and acaroids, by oral and intravenous routes and at different dose levels. The effect of female sex hormones, progesterone and oestrogen, on the toxicity of the drug was also examined. When neguvon was given orally to male goats at daily doses of 90, 180 and 360 mg/kg, the animals died within 2 - 10, 3 - 8 and 3 - 5 days, respectively. On the other hand, when the animals were pretreated with either progesterone or oestrogen for 14 consecutive days and then dosed orally at daily intervals with 360 mg/kg, the lethal effect of neguvon was prolonged from 5 days to 9 days. However, when neguvon was given intravenously, every other day at a dose of 90 mg/kg, the animals died within 10 - 16 days. Clinical signs, lesions and biochemical changes of neguvon toxicity, irrespective of the route of administration or pretreatment of the animals with female sex hormones, were more or less similar. The main clinical signs were dyspnoea, salivation, frequent urination, anorexia, cyanosis and nervous signs. The lesions consisted of hepatocellular necrosis and fatty change, degeneration of the renal convoluted tubules and pulmonary oedema and emphysema. The blood was dark brown in goats given neguvon by the intravenous route. There was an increase in the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and concentrations of creatinine and potassium in serum. A marked decrease in the concentrations of serum total protein and cholesterol was also observed. There was no change in the activity of serum alanine amino-transferase (AIT) or in the concentrations of bilirubin and sodium in the serum.