Behavioral and biochemical effects of pharmacopuncture (ST 36 and ST 25) in obese rats

Background: Acupuncture has been reported as a weight loss treatment for obese patients. The use of pharmacopuncture focusing on behavioral analyses has not yet been studied with the objective of treating obesity. Thus, this study aimed to assess the biochemical and behavioral effects of using pharmacopuncture techniques in obese Wistar rats. Methods: The treatments consisted in applying pharmacopuncture at the Zusanli (ST 36) and Tianshu (ST 25) points. Results: When treated with pharmacopuncture, groups HDP36 and HDP25 experienced a reduction in body weight compared to the controls, who were also fed a hypercaloric diet. In the alimentary behavior test, latency to feed did not differ between the groups. However, groups HDP36 and HDP25 consumed a smaller number of cereals bits, which suggests that inappetence was an effect of the treatment. No difference was found among the groups in the elevated plus maze test, which indicates no anxiety action of the points studied. Regarding post mortem perirenal and abdominal fat among the groups fed a hypercaloric diet, groups HDP36 and HDP25 had lower perirenal fat weight and HDP36 had lower abdominal fat weight compared to the other groups. Likewise, a reduction in cholesterol 10.1186/s12906-015-0829-7 and glucose levels was found in groups HDP36 and HDP25 compared to the other groups that were fed a hypercaloric diet, while triglycerides decreased in subgroup HDP25 Conclusions: In conclusion, the present study showed the efficacy of pharmacopuncture in weight loss of obese rats, as well as changes in biochemical and behavioral parameters

Efeitos comportamentais e bioquímicos da farmacopuntura em ratos obesos

A obesidade e todas as alterações metabólicas relativas ao excesso de peso são tratadas como o mal do século. Desta forma, justifica-se os esforços para traçar estratégias de tratamento. A acupuntura é relatada como técnica milenar de terapia chinesa e é descrita como um método de tratamento da obesidade. Esta técnica da medicina tradicional chinesa vem sendo difundida no ocidente e sendo mais estudada a partir de métodos científicos. A farmacopuntura com o uso de veneno de abelhas, um dos tipos de acupuntura, se destaca pela ação mais prolongada em relação à acupuntura tradicional. Assim, o objetivo do presente estudo foi de analisar os efeitos bioquímicos e comportamentais do uso de técnicas de farmacopuntura em ratos Wistar obesos. Para tanto, foram utilizados 160 animais: 80 foram submetidos a uma dieta hipercalórica, sendo que os animais atingiram peso superior significativo em relação ao grupo controle, e 80 animais, receberam dieta padrão. Cada grupo foi separado em subgrupos contendo 10 animais cada. Os tratamentos consistiram na estimulação de acupontos descritos na medicina tradicional chinesa para o tratamento da obesidade. Os 4 pontos avaliados foram: Fenglong (st40), Liangmen (st21), Zusanli (st36), Tianshu (st25). O grupo controle consistiu na aplicação de acupuntura em local que não corresponde a um acuponto. Os parâmetros bioquímicos analisados foram: triglicerídeos, glicose e colesterol plasmáticos. As análises comportamentais utilizadas foram o teste de labirinto em cruz elevado e teste de comportamento alimentar. A partir do presente estudo foi possível constatar que os pontos, Liangmen (st21), Zusanli (st36), Tianshu (st25) apresentaram resultados satisfatórios ao serem utilizados para a perda de peso corporal, sendo que Liangmen (st21), Zusanli (st36), Tianshu (st25) exibiram resultados promissores na redução de colesterol, glicose e triglicerídeos plasmático. O ponto Liangmen (st21) foi considerado ansiolítico e os pontos Zusanli (st36), Tianshu (st25) foram considerados como redutores do comportamento apetitivo. A partir do presente estudo foi possível depreender que através do método de farmacopuntura com veneno de abelha nos pontos st36, st25 e st21 em ratos obesos foi observada redução de peso corporal e dos parâmetros bioquímicos avaliados e indicou ação ansiolítica.Obesity and all the metabolic changes related to excess weight are treated as the disease of the century. Thus, it is justified efforts to trace treatment strategies. Acupuncture is reported as a ancient technique of Chinese therapy and is described as an obesity treatment method. This technique of traditional Chinese medicine has been widespread in the Westand being more studied from scientific methods. The farmacopuncture using bee venom, a type of acupuncture, that stands out for longer action in relation to traditional acupuncture. The objective of this study was to analyze the biochemical and behavioral effects of using farmacupuncture techniques in obese Wistar rats. For this purpose, 160 animals were used, of which 80 were subjected to a high calorie diet, and the animals achieved significantly greater weight than the control group, and 80 animals that received standard diet. Each treatment was separated into subgroups of 10 animals each. Treatments consisted in stimulating acupoints described in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of obesity. For this, 4 points will be evaluated: Fenglong (st40), Liangmen (st21), Zusanli (st36), Tianshu (st25). The control group consisted of the application of acupuncture in a place that does not match an acupoint. The biochemical parameters were analyzed: triglycerides, glucose and cholesterol plasmatic. Behavioral analysis used were plus maze test and testfeeding behavior. From the present study it was found that the points, Liangmen (st21), Zusanli (st36), Tianshu (st25) showed satisfactory results when used for weight loss, and Liangmen (st21) Zusanli (st36), Tianshu (st25) showed promising results in reducing cholesterol, glucose and plasma triglycerides and the Liangmen point (st21) was considered anxiolytic and that the Zusanlipoint (st36), Tianshu (st25) were deemed to reduce the appetitive behavior. In the present study it was possible to conclude that the farmacopuncture with bee venom in points st36, st25 and st21 in obese rats reduced the body weight and the biochemical parameters and presented anxiolytic action

Variação temporal diurna de comportamentos afiliativos de sagüi comum (Callithrix jacchus) machos vivendo em ambiente natural

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a variação temporal do comportamento afiliativo de machos reprodutores e não reprodutores de sagüi comum adultos, direcionados às fêmeas reprodutoras, vivendo em dois grupos naturais (GC1 e GR2). Os grupos habitavam uma área da Escola Agrícola de Jundiaí/UFRN, localizada em Macaíba, RN, Brasil. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizado o método focal instantâneo a cada 5 minutos, totalizando 11.563 registros. A análise estatística foi realizada utilizando testes não-paramétricos considerando p < 0,05. A freqüência de comportamentos afiliativos mostrou uma variação diurna, corroborando dados anteriores sobre a distribuição dos comportamento de contato, proximidade e catação social, indicando um perfil semelhante na expressão destas atividades para todos os indivíduos do grupo social

Atividade de predação de Tropidurus hispidus (Sauria, Tropiduridae) de Nisia floresta- RN, Brasil

Predation activity of Tropidurus hispidus (Sauria, Tropiduridae) in Nisia floresta- RN, Brazil. Tropidurus sp is a generalist predator who uses both “sit and wait” foraging strategy or sedentary strategy to catch prey. In this study we noticed thepredation activity of Tropidurus hispidus in a rain forest area in Nísia Floresta from december 6th to 10th, 2004. The scan sampling and ad libitum observation methods were used to collect data. Our search showed that T. hispidus presented a sedentary predation behavior. There was significant difference (p < 0,001) for couple analysed area in predation. We noticed a bimodal occurrence in predation. This data were related with the sun incidence. This suggests that the temperature and the catch prey type, in association, can determine its foraging behaviors temporal profile

Social interactions and androgens levels in marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) in field and laboratory studies : a preliminary investigation of the Challenge Hypothesis

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World monkey, has been widely used as a biological model in neuroscience to elucidate neural circuits involved in cognition and to understand brain dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders. In this regard, the availability of gene expression data derived from next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies represents an opportunity for a molecular contextualization. Sexual dimorphism account for differences in diseases prevalence and prognosis. Here, we explore sex differences on frontal cortex of gene expression in common marmoset’s adults. Methods: Gene expression profiles in six different tissues (cerebellum, frontal cortex, liver, heart, and kidney) were analyzed in male and female marmosets. To emphasize the translational value of this species for behavioral studies, we focused on sex‐biased gene expression from the frontal cortex of male and female in common marmosets and compared to humans (Homo sapiens). Results: In this study, we found that frontal cortex genes whose expression is malebiased are conserved between marmosets and humans and enriched with “housekeeping” functions. On the other hand, female‐biased genes are more related to ural plasticity functions involved in remodeling of synaptic circuits, stress cascades, and visual behavior. Additionally, we developed and made available an application— the CajaDB —to provide a friendly interface for genomic, expression, and alternative splicing data of marmosets together with a series of functionalities that allow the exploration of these data. CajaDB is available at cajadb.neuro.ufrn.br. Conclusion: The data point to differences in gene expression of male and female common marmosets in all tissues analyzed. In frontal cortex, female‐biased expression in synaptic plasticity, stress, and visual processing might be linked to biological and behavioral mechanisms of this sex. Due to the limited sample size, the data hereanalyzed are for exploratory purposes