Influence of intestinal coccidia infection of rabbits upon plasma and fecal protein levels, and plasma and urinary urea and creatinine levels

Two groups of rabbits, with 10 animals each, were artificially infected with varying doses of sporulated intestinal coccidia oocysts. The infectious material was composed of oocyst of several rabbit intestinal coccidia species: Eimeria flavescens, Eimeria matsubayashi, Eimeria magna, Eimeria neoleporis, Eimeria perforans and Eimeria media. A third group of 10 rabbits served as the control. Following the artificial infection and a 3-4 day incubation period, a subclinical form of the disease was induced in most rabbits while 3 animals developed full-blown disease with diarrhoea. Shortly before and then on days 4, 7, and 10 after the infection, levels of the following plasma constituents were determined: total proteins, albumin, immunoglobulin G, urea and creatinine. Additionally, urea and creatinine were measured in urine samples, and protein levels were determined in feces. In plasma a decrease in total protein, albumin, urea and creatinine concentrations was found, whereas an increase in immunoglobulin G levels occured. A rise in urinary urea and creatinine, and fecal proteins was found. The changes in concentration of the measured substances in blood, urine and feces were dependent on the number of inoculated infectious oocysts

The influence of rabbit infection with intestinal coccidia upone the activity of liver enzymes

Two groups of 10 rabbits each were infected with different doses of sporulated intestinal coccidia oocysts. Oocysts of the following intestinal coccidia were used as the infectious material: Eimeria flavescens (7%), Eimeria matsubayashii (9%), Eimeria magna (21%), Eimeria neoleporis (19%), Eimeria perforans (21%) i Eimeria media (32%). The third group (10 animals) served as a control. The rabbits acquired a subclinical form of coccidiosis which manifested itself in polydipsia, bristing hairs and weight loss, whereas only three rabbits developed full-blown illness with diarrhoea. Immediately before the infection, then on the fourth, seventh, and tenth day following the infection with intestinal coccidia oocysts, the activity of several plasma enzymes was measured: aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. Changes in the activity of those enzymes did not absolutely correlate with the numbers of inoculated infectious intestinal coccidia oocysts

Blood glucose, plasma osmolarity and urea and creatinine clearance in rabbits artificially infected with intestinal coccidia

Two groups of ten coprologically oocyst free rabbits were infected with 2×10 5 or 4×10 5 coccidia oocysts composed of Eimeria flavescens (7%), E. matsubayashi (9%), E. magna (12%), E. neoleporis (19%), E. perforans (21%) and E. media (32%). A third group served as the control. Only three infected animals developed full-blown disease with diarrhoea. The others suffered from a subclinical form of the disease. Shortly before and then on days 4 and 10 after infection, blood glucose levels were determined, and plasma osmolarity and urea and creatinine clearance were calculated. Throughout the observation period a decline in blood glucose levels and plasma osmolarity was observed. In parallel, a pronounced elevation of urea and creatinine clearance was found

The influence of intestinal coccidia infection of rabbits upon plasma and urine electrolyte concentrations

Two groups of rabbits, with 10 animals each, were artificially infected with varying doses of sporulated intestinal coccidia oocysts. The first group was infected with 2x10(5), whereas the second received 4x10(5) infectious oocysts. The infectious material consisted of several rabbit intestinal coccidia oocyst species: Eimeria flavescens, Eimeria matsubayashi, Eimeria magna, Eimeria neoleporis, Eimeria perforans and Eimeria media. A third group of 10 rabbits served as the control. Following the artificial infection, in most animals a subclinical form of the disease was induced with weight loss, bristling hair and polydipsia while only 3 animals developed full-blown with diarrhoea. Immediately before and then on days 4, 7, and 10 after the infection, levels of the following electrolytes were determined in blood: sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium. Additionally, the concentration of sodium, potassium and chloride was measured in urine samples. A decrease in plasma sodium, potassium and chloride concentrations was observed with a concomitant rise in the levels of these electrolytes in urine. Plasma calcium concentrations varied, both rising and dropping in the course of the disease. The changes in concentration of the measured electrolytes in blood and urine did not correlate with the size of the inoculum of sporulated coccidia oocysts

Antiproliferative effects of Tanaceti partheni, Hypericum perforatum and propolis on HeLa cells

Tanaceti partheni, Hypericum perforatum and propolis have been widely used for centuries and are well-documented medicinal plants and natural product. In this study, we investigated the antiproliferative effects of water extracts of ethanolic dry extracts of two different medicinal plants (Tanaceti partheni and Hypericum perforatum) and propolis on HeLa cells. The Tanaceti partheni extract exhibited mild cytotoxic activity. The IC50 was 153.71 μg/mL. The extract of Hypericum perforatum did not show active cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells (IC50 >200 μg/mL). Regarding the antiproliferative effects of Hypericum perforatum, our results are not in correlation with the results of other authors, probably because different Hypericum species and different human cancer cell lines were used. The extract of propolis did not show active cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells (IC50 = 1.08 ± 0.01 mg/mL). The weak antiproliferative effect of propolis on HeLa cells is either due to the use of a low concentration of propolis extracted in weakly polar solvents, or the use of propolis collected in the autumn. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 34021 i br. 175011

Inhibitory effects of medical plants on the Candida albicans and bacterial growth in the oral cavity

In this mini-review, the authors discuss the effects of ethanol extracts, essential oils and cytotoxicity of some medicinal plants and their compounds used in ethno-medicine in different geographic regions worldwide, including Serbia, on the growth, mul­tiplication and pathogenicity of Candida albicans and bacteria that play the main role in the balance of the oral ecosystem. Various medicinal plants, such as Rosmarinus officinalis (Fam. Lamiaceae), Artemisia dracunculus, Artemisia absinthium (Fam. Asteraceae), exist in different geographic regions and continents, as well as in the Balkan region, and among them there are some indigenous species like Hypericum perforatum L. (Fam. Hypericaceae), Urtica dioica L. (U. dioica) (Fam. Urticaceae), Achillea millefolium L. (Fam. Asteraceae), Matricaria chamomilla L. (Fam. Asteraceae), Sambucus nigra L. (Fam. Caprifoliaceae), and Thymus serpyllum L. (Fam. Lamiaceae) with impressive antimicrobial activity against microorganisms originating from the oral cavity. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 34021

Blood parasites in dogs from the Belgrade area in the period 2014-2015

Prevalence of blood parasites in dogs in the Belgrade area has been investigated continuously during the last 20 years, especially in clinically suspicious dogs. In the period from 2014 to 2015, 249 blood samples of pets (182) and shelter dogs (67) were examined. Using Giemsa-stained blood smears, the presence of Babesia spp. was examined in erythrocytes and the presence of morulae of Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. in circu­lating monocytes and granulocytes. To confirm positive findings of ehrlichiosis and ana­plasmosis in blood smears, CaniV-4 Test Kit or IDEXX SNAP 4DX test was used. Infection with two pathogens was found in 78/249 (31.32%) cases; in all cases, the infection with one of the protozoa or bacteria was in combination with heartworms. In blood-smears, babesiosis was found in 39.75% of pet dogs and in 71.64% of shelter dogs, ehrlichiosis in 15.93% and 28.35%, and anaplasmosis in 6.04% and 19.40%, respectivelly. From colected ticks, relative abundance analysis revealed that the species Ixodes ricinus was absolutely dominant and found in 50.53% (47/93), followed by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ‒ 38.70% (36/93), Derma­centor marginatus ‒ 9.67% (9/93), D. reticulatus, and Ixodes persulcatus found in 3.22% (3/93), which for the first time occurred in dogs in the Belgrade area and in Serbia