Perfil Bioquímico Sanguíneo Hepático del Cocodrilo de Tumbes (Crocodylus acutus) Criado en Cautiverio

The liver blood chemical profile of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) raised in captivity in the northern region of Peru was determined. Sixty crocodiles were sampled from a population of 255 animals belonging to the Zoocriadero del Centro de Acuicultura La Tuna Carranza, part of the National Fisheries Development Fund (FONDEPES) located in the region of Tumbes, Peru. The animals were classified as young (n=24), subadults (n=27) and adults (n=9). A blood sample (6 ml) was taken from each animal by puncturing the post-occipital venous sinus while animals were under physical restraint. Serum was separated by centrifugation and concentration of each enzyme was measured by spectrophotometry. Variables studied were alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, total protein and albumin. Statistical difference (p<0.05) was found between age groups in ALT, FA, direct bilirubin, and total protein. All values with the exception of albumin showed high biological differences with those reported by the International Species Information System.Se determinó el perfil bioquímico hepático del cocodrilo de Tumbes (Crocodylus acutus) criado en cautiverio en el norte del Perú. Se trabajó con 60 cocodrilos de una población de 255 animales del Zoocriadero del Centro de Acuicultura La Tuna Carranza, del Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Pesquero (FONDEPES), ubicado en la región de Tumbes, Perú. De estos, 24 eran juveniles, 27 subadultos y 9 adultos. Se extrajo 6 ml de sangre entera sin anticoagulante por punción del seno venoso post-occipital manipulando al animal mediante contención física. Se separó el suero mediante centrifugación y las enzimas se analizaron mediante espectrofotometría. Las variables en estudio fueron alanina aminotransferasa (ALT), aspartato amino transferasa (AST), fosfatasa alcalina (FA), bilirrubina total, bilirrubina directa, bilirrubina indirecta, proteínas totales y albúmina. Se encontró diferencia estadística (p<0.05) en relación a los grupos etarios con respecto a la ALT, FA, bilirrubina directa y proteínas totales. Todos los valores con excepción de la albúmina tuvieron marcadas diferencias biológicas con respecto a valores publicados por el International Species Information System