Effects of Annona squamosa extract on early pregnancy in rats

Annona squamosa Linn., family Annonaceae, is said to show varied medicinal effects, including insecticide, antiovulatory and abortifacient. The purpose of present study was to investigate if A. squamosa seed aqueous extract, in doses higher than that popularly used to provoke abortion, interferes with reproductive performance, and to correlate the ingestion of this extract with possible alterations in rat embryonic implantation. Doses of 300 mg/kg (Treated Group I, n = 17) and 600 mg/kg (Treated Group II, n = 12) body wt. were administered by gavage, during days 1 to 5 of pregnancy (preimplantation period). The control group (n = 13) received water in the same manner, during the same period for comparison with experimental groups. The animals were euthanized on day 10 of pregnancy. Treatment of dams during the preimplantation period showed no signs of toxicity, and no alteration in the corpora lutea, implantations and embryo in terms of development numbers. The percentage of preimplantation and postimplantation losses in treated groups I and II did not differ from those of control. Treatment with aqueous extract of A. squamosa seeds caused no morphological change in the endometrium. The absence of morphological alterations in uterine epithelial cells in treated groups I and II permitted a viable embryonic implantation, as verified by the number of embryos in development at day 10 of pregnancy. Thus, A. squamosa seed aqueous extract did not interfere with the reproductive performance of pregnant rats.

Evaluation of Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis in Placentas of Rats with Severe Diabetes

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of Bauhinia forficata aqueous extract on the maternal-fetal outcome and oxidative stress biomarkers of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Bauhinia forficata Link, commonly known as paw-of-cow, is widely used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes.Aim of this study: To evaluate the effect of Bauhinia forficata treatment on maternal-fetal outcome and antioxidant systems of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.Materials and methods: Virgin female Wistar rats were injected with 40 mg/kg streptozotocin before mating. Oral administration of an aqueous extract of Bauhinia forficata leaves was given to non-diabetic and diabetic pregnant rats at increasing doses: 500 mg/kg from 0 to 4th day of pregnancy, 600 mg/kg from 5th to 14th day and 1000 mg/kg from 15th to 20th day. At day 21 of pregnancy the rats were anaesthetized with ether and a maternal blood sample was collected for the determination superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH). The gravid uterus was weighed with its contents and fetuses were analyzed.Results and conclusion: The data showed that the diabetic dams presented an increased glycemic level, resorption, placental weight, placental index, and fetal anomalies, and reduced GSH and SOD determinations, live fetuses, maternal weight gain, gravid uterine weight, and fetal weight. It was also verified that Bauhinia forficata treatment had no hypoglycemic effect, did not improve maternal outcomes in diabetic rats, but it contributed to maintain GSH concentration similarly to non-diabetic groups, suggesting relation with the decreased incidence of visceral anomalies. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of obesity on rat reproduction and on the development of their adult offspring

The aim of the present study was to assess the reproductive parameters of obese Wistar rats and to determine the frequency of their obese adult offspring. Neonatal rats were divided into two groups: F-1 generation, induced to obesity by monosodium glutamate (MSG; F(1)MSG, N = 30), and rats given saline (F1CON, N = 13). At 90 days of age all animals were mated, producing the F-2 offspring (F2CON, N = 28; F(2)MSG, N = 15). Reproductive parameters (fertility, pregnancy, and delivery indexes) were evaluated in F-1 rats. F-2 newborns were weighed, and the obesity parameter for F-1 and F-2 generations was determined from months 5 to 7 of life. At month 7, periovarian fat was weighed and no differences were found. Mean newborn weight also did not differ. The F-1 and F(2)MSG groups presented approximately 90% of obese rats since month 5 of life, whereas F-1 and F2CON groups presented only 33%. There was no difference in periovarian weight among groups. Although obesity did not affect reproductive parameters, obese dams (F(1)MSG) were responsible for the appearance of obesity in the subsequent generation. Thus, obesity induced by neonatal MSG administration did not interfere with reproduction, but did provide a viable model for obesity in second-generation adult Wistar rats. This model might contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in transgenerational obesity.

Levels of DNA damage in blood leukocyte samples from non-diabetic and diabetic female rats and their fetuses exposed to air or cigarette smoke

dThe objective of the present study was to evaluate DNA damage level in blood leukocytes from diabetic and non-diabetic female Wistar rats exposed to air or to cigarette smoke, and to correlate the findings with levels of DNA damage detected in blood leukocyte samples from their fetuses. A total of 20 rats were distributed into four experimental groups: non-diabetic (control; G1) and diabetic exposed to filtered air (G2): non-diabetic (G3) and diabetic (G4) exposed to cigarette smoke. Rats placed into whole-body exposure chambers were exposed for 30 min to filtered air (control) or to tobacco smoke generated from 10 cigarettes, twice a day, for 2 months. Diabetes was induced by a pancreatic beta-cytotoxic agent, streptozotocin (40 mg/kg b.w.). At day 21 of pregnancy, each rat was anesthetized and humanely killed to obtain maternal and fetal blood samples for genotoxicity analysis using the alkaline comet assay. G2, G3 and G4 dams presented higher DNA damage values in tail moment and tail length as compared to G1 group. There was a significant positive correlation between DNA damage levels in blood leukocyte samples from G2 and G3 groups (tail moment); G3 and G4 groups (tail length) and G3 group (tail intensity) and their fetuses. Thus, this study showed the association of severe diabetes and tobacco cigarette smoke exposure did not exacerbate levels of maternal and fetal DNA damages related with only diabetes or cigarette smoke exposure. Based on the results obtained and taking into account other published data, maternal diabetes requires rigid clinical control and public health and education campaigns should be increased to encourage individuals, especially pregnant women, to stop smoking. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of maternal mild hyperglycemia on maternal care and offspring development and behavior of Wistar rats

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effects of exposure to cigarette smoke prior to pregnancy in diabetic rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Short- and long-term reproductive effects of prenatal and lactational growth restriction caused by maternal diabetes in male rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Metabolic Profile of Offspring from Diabetic Wistar Rats Treated with Mentha piperita (Peppermint)

This study aimed at evaluating glycemia and lipid profile of offspring from diabetic Wistar rats treated with Mentha piperita (peppermint) juice. Male offspring from nondiabetic dams (control group: 10 animals treated with water and 10 treated with peppermint juice) and from dams with streptozotocin-induced severe diabetes (diabetic group: 10 animals treated with water and 10 treated with peppermint juice) were used. They were treated during 30 days, and, after the treatment period, levels of glycemia, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and fractions were analyzed in the adult phase. The offspring from diabetic dams treated with peppermint showed significantly reduced levels of glucose, cholesterol, LDL-c, and triglycerides and significant increase in HDL-c levels. The use of the M. piperita juice has potential as culturally appropriate strategy to aid in the prevention of DM, dyslipidemia, and its complications.

Evaluation of Glycemic and Lipid Profile of Offspring of Diabetic Wistar Rats Treated with Malpighia emarginata Juice

Knowing that maternal diabetes is related to hyperglycemia and fetal hyperinsulinemia, which affect the lipid metabolism, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Malpighia emarginata (acerola) juice on the glycemic and lipid profile of offspring of diabetic and nondiabetic Wistar rats. The adult offspring of non-diabetic dams and of dams with severe streptozotocin-induced diabetes were divided into groups: G1, offspring (of control dams) treated with water, G2, offspring (of diabetic dams) treated with water, G3, male offspring (of control dams) treated with acerola juice, and G4, male offspring (of diabetic dams) treated with acerola juice. The offspring of diabetic dams treated with acerola juice showed significantly decreased levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and increased HDL-c. The use of acerola juice is a potential strategy to aid in the prevention of DM and dyslipidemia and its complications or to act as an auxiliary in the treatment of these diseases.

Effect of Morus nigra aqueous extract treatment on the maternal-fetal outcome, oxidative stress status and lipid profile of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Vaccine immune response and interference of colostral antibodies in calves vaccinated against rabies at 2, 4 and 6 months of age born from antirabies revaccinated females

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Growth curve of Nellore calves reared on natural pasture in the Pantanal

Weight-age and hip height-age relations of Nellore calves, from birth to 10 months old were fitted using a logistic model including sex and year of birth as fixed effects. Calves and their dams were reared on natural pasture using continuous grazing system. The crude protein content and total digestible nutrients were analyzed for pasture selected by the animals. The weights of the calves were adjusted to 205 days and 365 days. There were no significant effects of sex and birth year on the growth curve parameters, but there were significant effects of sex on hip height. The average weight (a parameter) at 10 months of age was 170 kg and the inflection point was observed at 93.5 days old. When weight-age and hip height-age curves were combined in the same graph, the intersection occurred at 142 days. The number of days to gain 160 kg from birth to 205 days of age (adjusted) and number of days to gain 240 kg from 205 days to slaughter was different between the birth years, which were probably due to the quality of the natural pastures. It is necessary to implement nutritional management strategies such as high quality pasture and/or feeding supplementation for calves once they reach three months of age.

Fixed-time artificial insemination with estradiol and progesterone for Bos indicus cows I: Basis for development of protocols

Five experiments were conducted on commercial farms in Brazil aiming to develop a fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI) protocol that achieved pregnancy rates between 40% and 55% in Bos indicus cows. These studies resulted in the development of the following protocol: insertion of all intravaginal device containing 1.9 g of progesterone (CIDR) plus 2.0 mg im estradiol benzoate on Day 0; 12.5 mg im dinoprost tromethamine on Day 7 in cycling cows or oil Day 9 in anestrous cows; CIDR withdrawal plus 0.5 mg im estradiol cypionate plus temporary calf removal on Day 9; TAI (48 h after CIDR withdrawal) plus reuniting of calves with their dams on Day 11. Reduced dose of prostaglandin F(2 alpha) (PGF(2 alpha): 12.5 mg im dinoprost tromethamine) effectively caused luteolysis. In cycling cows, fertility was greater when the treatment with PGF(2 alpha) was administered on Day 7 than oil Day 9, but in anestrous cows, no effects of time of the PGF(2 alpha) treatment were found. Estradiol cypionate effectively replaced estradiol benzoate or gonadotropin-releasing hormone as the ovulatory stimulus, reducing labor and cost. In this protocol, CIDR inserts were successfully used four times (9 d each use) with no detrimental effects on fertility. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of feeding regime and finishing system on lamb muscle fiber and meat quality

Avaliou-se a influência dos níveis nutricionais da ovelha antes do parto, da idade à desmama e do sistema de terminação sobre as fibras musculares e a qualidade da carne dos cordeiros. Utilizaram-se matrizes mestiças Ile de France × Bergamacia criadas a pasto. As ovelhas foram divididas em dois grupos: um com suplementação alimentar 30 dias antes do parto e outro sem suplementação. Os animais (ovelha e cordeiros) foram subdivididos de acordo com a idade à desmama (45 ou 60 dias de idade) e os cordeiros desmamados foram submetidos a três sistemas de terminação: confinamento com dieta completa; confinamento somente com feno; e confinamento somente no pasto. O abate dos cordeiros foi realizado aos 30 kg de peso vivo ou aos 150 dias de idade. As características de carcaça analisadas foram morfofisiologia da fibra do músculo longissimus dorsi, fragmentação miofibrilar pós-morte (maturados nos dias 0, 3 e 7 pos mortem) e redução do pH e da temperatura da carne pós-abate. Não houve efeito da suplementação às ovelhas ou da idade à desmama sobre nenhuma das características avaliadas. A composição em fibras de contração lenta e oxidativa, contração rápida e oxidativa ou contração rápida e glicolítica não foi alterada pelos fatores em estudo, mas a área transversal das fibras foi menor nos cordeiros terminados com feno, assim como os valores de pH, temperatura e as medidas dos fragmentos de miofibrila. Com o aumento do tempo de maturação de 0 para 3 e 7 dias post mortem, houve redução do comprimento dos fragmentos de miofibrilas. O sistema de terminação de cordeiros em confinamento somente com feno interfere mais intensamente na qualidade da carne que o sistema de terminação a pasto ou em confinamento com dieta completa.