The effect of ragwort (senecio jacobea)on the liver of the domestic fowl (gallus domesticus): A histopathological and enzyme histochemical study

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Abstract
One wk old male chicks (25) were fed for 6 wk on a standard diet incorporating 7% dried and ground ragwort (S. jacobea). The chicks received the standard diet for a further 6 wk while a control group of 25 similar birds received the standard diet throughout. Two birds from each group were killed at intervals of about 1 wk and their livers were examined histologically and histochemically. Ragwort feeding caused megalocytosis, focal necrosis, focal hyperplasia and portal fibrosis. There were no veno-occlusive changes. As the lesion progressed there was an overall loss of enzyme activity especially in the areas of necrosis. The groups of small hyperplastic cells showed normal or increased activity and there was increased enzyme activity in the megalocytes. The development of groups of proliferating cells may be a prelude to the neoplastic changes described in earlier reports of longer term studies of the effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloids on the liver of chicks.