The role of oxidative stress in Brachiaria decumbens toxicity in sheep

In an attempt to elucidate potential time-dependent oxidative stress mechanisms associated with Brachiaria decumbens toxicity in sheep, selected blood malondialdehyde (MD), as peroxidation tissue function biomarker and tissue morphology, were assessed. Six young adult Wiltshire cross bred ram were acclimatized for 3 weeks, where ivermectin injection and liver and kidney function tests were done. Blood samples were collected during the pre-treatment, namely on 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th days of continuous feeding of Brachiaria. Meanwhile, clinical signs were monitored and sheep were euthanised on the 7th, 9th, and 11th day, where a post-mortem was performed and relevant tissues were sampled. Results revealed that plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), serum (bilirubin total and conjugated, AST, GGT, urea, and creatinine) were significantly (p<0.05) increased, whereas total antioxidant potential was decreased (p