Antinociceptive effect on mice of the hydroalcoholic fraction and (-) epicatechin obtained from Combretum leprosum Mart & Eich

Previous studies on Combretum leprosum, a tree growing in the Northeastern states of Brazil, have shown antinociceptive effects of the ethanol extract of its leaves and bark, but studies examining its constituents are rare. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of the hydroalcoholic fraction (HF) of one of its constituents, the flavonoid (-) epicatechin (EPI), administered orally to mice (20-30 g) in models of chemical nociception, and the possible mechanisms involved. Different doses of HF (62.5 to 500 mg/kg) and EPI (12.5 to 50 mg/kg) were evaluated in models of abdominal writhing, glutamate, capsaicin, and formalin in animals pretreated with different antagonists: naloxone, ondansetron, yohimbine, ketanserin, pindolol, atropine, and caffeine in the abdominal writhing test. To determine the role of nitric oxide, the animals were pretreated with L-arginine (600 mg/kg, ip) in the glutamate test. The HF was effective (P < 0.05) in all protocols at different doses and EPI was effective in the abdominal writhing, capsaicin and glutamate tests (P < 0.05) at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg. However, in the formalin test it was only effective in the second phase at a dose of 25 mg/kg. The antinociceptive effect of HF was inhibited when HF was associated with yohimbine (0.15 mg/kg), ketanserine (0.03 mg/kg), and L-arginine (600 mg/kg), but not with the other antagonists. HF and EPI were effective in models of chemical nociception, with the suggested participation of the adrenergic, serotonergic and nitrergic systems in the antinociceptive effect of HF

Valores de referência e influência da idade no eritrograma de fêmeas bovinas da raça Aquitânica Reference values and age effect on the erythrogram of bovine females of the Aquitanian breed

Determinaram-se os valores de referência e estudou-se a influência da idade sobre o eritrograma em fêmeas bovinas da raça Aquitânica. Amostras de sangue de 80 fêmeas bovinas, acima de 12 meses de idade, e não reagentes ao antígeno do vírus da leucose dos bovinos, foram colhidas utilizando-se EDTA como anticoagulante para realização das seguintes provas: contagem global das hemácias, determinação do volume globular, concentração de hemoglobina, cálculo dos índices hematimétricos absolutos - volume corpuscular médio (VCM), hemoglobina corpuscular média (HCM) e concentração de hemoglobina corpuscular média (CHCM). A idade exerceu influência significativa (P<0,05) sobre a maioria dos parâmetros hematológicos estudados, com diminuição da quantidade de hemácias e aumento do volume globular, quantidade de hemoglobina, VCM e HCM. Os valores foram: hemácias 6,68&plusmn;0,58&times;10(6)/mm³, volume globular 41,2&plusmn;4,5%, hemoglobina 12,8&plusmn;1,31g/dl, VCM 61,83&plusmn;6,54fl, HCM 19,28&plusmn;2,25pg, CHCM 31,4&plusmn;2,3%.<br>The reference values and the influence of the age factor on the erytrogram in bovine females of the Aquitanian breed were evaluated. Blood samples of 80 healthy females, all tested negative for bovine leucose virus, were utilized for the analysis. Erythrocyte counts, determination of the packed cell volume, concentration of hemoglobin, calculation of hematimetric absolute rates of mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were evaluated. Significant influence (P<0.05) of age was observed for most of the hematological characteristics, with decreased of the number of erythrocytes and increase of packed cell volume, quantity of hemoglobin, MCV, MCH. The reference values were: erythrocytes counting 6.68&plusmn;0.58&times;10(6)/mm³, packed cell volume 41.2&plusmn;4.5%, hemoglobin 12.8&plusmn;1.31g/dl, VCM 61.83&plusmn;6.54fl, HCM 19.28&plusmn;2.25pg, CHCM 31.4&plusmn;2.3%

Caprine lentivirus in sheep milk and semen

ABSTRACT With the objective of detecting the presence of caprine lentivirus (CLV) in ewe milk and in ram semen, ten matrixes and four reproducers experimentally infected with CLV were used. Samples of ewe milk were collected during the four months of lactation, five collections per animal, totaling 50 samples. Regarding the rams, eight semen collections were made per animal, during one year of experimentation, totaling 32 samples. The milk and semen samples were submitted to DNA extraction and the nested polymerase chain reaction test (nPCR) to detect CLV proviral DNA. Eight (16%) of the milk samples were positive in nPCR originating from two ewes. Only one (3.12%) semen sample was positive. The amplification products were sequenced, and were confirmed to be a CLV genomic sequence. Thus, the presence of CLV proviral DNA in sheep milk and semen was demonstrated, confirming the feasibility of infection between species, and alerting to the risk of spreading infections

Eficácia das lactonas macrocíclicas sistêmicas (ivermectina e moxidectina) na terapia da demodicidose canina generalizada Efficacy of systemics macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin and moxidectin) for the treatment of generalized canine demodicosis

Avaliou-se a eficácia de lactonas macrocíclicas (ivermectina e moxidectina) sobre a eventual ocorrência de efeitos colaterais e acompanharam-se, após a alta parasitológica, por 12 meses, os cães tratados, visando detectar a recidiva do quadro dermatopático. Dos 63 animais, 59% eram fêmeas, 76% apresentavam precisa definição racial e 67% tinham pelame curto. A ivermectina (0,6mg/kg/dia) foi administrada por via oral a 31 cães, e a moxidectina (0,5mg/kg/cada 72 horas), pela mesma via, a 32 animais. Os tempos médios para a obtenção da primeira negativação do exame parasitológico do raspado cutâneo e para a consecução da alta foram, respectivamente, de 90 e 130 dias para a ivermectina e de 108 e 147 dias para a moxidectina. A ivermectina acarretou menos (16,1%) efeitos colaterais em relação à moxidectina (37,5%) (P=0,03). As recidivas foram, respectivamente, 10,3% e 13% para ivermectina e moxidectina. Não houve diferença entre os dois protocolos de terapia quanto aos percentuais de recidiva (P=0,67) e eficácia (P=0,61). Ambas as lactonas macrocíclicas mostraram-se eficazes: ivermectina 89,7% e moxidectina 87%.<br>The efficacy of ivermectin and moxidectin for treatment of generalized canine demodicosis, was evaluated to detect the eventual occurrence of side effects caused by the use of these drugs, and to follow the treated dogs for 12 months after obtaining parasitologic cure. Of 63 dogs, 59% were females, 76% were defined as purebred and 67% had short hair. Ivermectin (0.6mg/kg/daily) was orally administered to 31 dogs and moxidectin (0.5mg/kg/every 72 hours) to 32 dogs. The average number of days to obtain the first negative skin scraping results and the parasitologic cure were, respectively, 90 and 130 days for ivermectin, and 108 and 147 days for moxidectin. Ivermectin caused fewer side effects (16.1%) than moxidectin (37.5%) (P<0.05). The percentages of relapse were, respectively, 10.3% and 13.0% when ivermectin and moxidectin were administered. No difference between protocols of therapy was found for percentage of relapse (P>0.67) and efficacy (P>0.61). Both drugs were effective and safe to treat generalized canine demodicosis: ivermectin 89.7% and moxidectin 87.0%