SUMMARY In experimentally studies fourteen crossbred horses with ages between 4 to 22-year-old and weighing from 230 to 475kg were fed with the dried aeral parts of Senecio brasiliensis harvested during its sprouting period. The plant was administered to the horses either mixed with the ration or grounded or mixed with water and force fed through a nasoesophagic sound. Blood samples were collected periodically in fourteen horses to evaluate serum biochemical parameters. Eight horses died due to the intoxication whereas three horses died of unrelated diseases. Three horses survived without any clinical signs during the experiment. The clinical disease induced by the plant in the eight intoxicated horses had a cource of one to six days and included signs as anorexia, jaundice and neurológical disturbance. It is concluded the variation of serum leveis of gamma glutamil transferase and aspartate transaminase gave a better picture of the hepatic function since these enzymes were increased only in those horses that were intoxicated by Senecio brasiliensis poisoning.
enzyme; poisoned; Senecio; horses
