Dosage-dependent effects of Eupatorium adenophorum on Saanen goat blood levels and the histopathology of several organs

The present study investigated the effects of different dosages of Eupatorium adenophorum to the diet on routine blood levels and the histopathology of the liver, kidney, and spleen in Saanen goats. Based on the random assortment principle, 16 healthy, five- to six-month-old Saanen goats were divided into four groups: control group (no E. adenophorum in the diet) and trial groups Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ (with 40%, 60%, and 80% E. adenophorum in the diet, respectively). The experiment lasted three months. A routine blood examination was performed every two weeks. The goats were slaughtered at the end of the experiment to observe pathological changes in the liver, kidney, and spleen. The results showed that the white blood cell(WBC) and neutrophil(NEUT) of each trial group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the control group, and very significantly higher (P<0.01) at the end of the experiment. However, the lymphocyte(LY) and hemoglobin(HGB) were significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). The changes in the pathology of each trial group showed swelling of the liver and spleen. The liver cells showed congestion, and vacuolar and fatty degeneration. There was hyperemia, necrosis, granular, and vacuolar degeneration in the kidney tissues. In conclusion, E. adenophorum not only causes different levels of liver and kidney damage, but also leads to a significant effect on Saanen goat blood levels over time.