Animals In Test Group Research Articles

Effect of Chlorophytum Borivilianum Santapau and Fernandes on sexual dysfunction in hyperglycemic male rats

To investigate the effects of Chlorophytum borivilianum (CB) on sexual dysfunction, loss of body weight, and lack of libido in hyperglycemic rats induced with streptozotocin or alloxan. Wistar strain male albino rats were divided into five groups of six animals each: the control group (2% polyvinylpyrollidone solution), the streptozotocin control group (50 mg/kg), the alloxan control group (100 mg/kg), the streptozotocin + CB treated group (200 mg/kg), and the alloxan + CB treated group (200 mg/kg). Only after confirming the induction of diabetes, the animals of test groups were treated with CB. The sexual behavior of male rats of in presence of female rat in a special cage was recorded. The effects of induced diabetes in control groups and on simultaneous extract treatment in CB treated groups were tested for sexual parameters. The parameters evaluated included mount, ejaculation, and intromission latencies/frequencies, hesitation time, and penile erection index. Parallel to this, using a separate set of similarly treated animals, the influence of diabetes and CB treatment on anabolism and weight of secondary sexual organs were determined on day 0 and day 28 of the treatment. CB extract treatment ameliorated the diabetes-induced dysfunction at 200 mg/kg dose. There was very low weight loss (P<0.05) in CB-treated animals as compared to the diabetic control. There was a very high latency time (P<0.05) in the diabetic animals, whereas the latency time was very low in CB-treated animals. Mount, intromission, and ejaculation frequencies were very high (P<0.01) in CB-treated animals, while streptozotocin and alloxan groups animals had a very significantly lower sexual behavior (P<0.05) compared to the normo-glycemic control group animals. CB can significantly ameliorate diabetes-induced sexual dysfunction. Polysaccharide and saponin-rich aqueous extract appears to have the most suitable effects on diabetes and its associated effects on sexual functionality.

Saffron (Crocus sativus) decoction induces intra abdominal fat deposition in pregnant mice

Objectives: In this study the effects of non toxic [1] concentrations of saffron decoction on fat deposition in pregnant mice was assessed. Methods: 130 adult female mice were mated overnight and checked daily for vaginal plaque until yielding 65 pregnant mice. The vaginal plaque observation was considered as the1st day of pregnancy. The reminder mated females were considered as non pregnant. Each category of pregnant and non pregnant animals was randomly and equally divided into 13 groups. In each category animals in control group received tap water while the animals in test groups received different concentration of saffron decoction (0.2, 0.4 and 0.8%) in 4 different time course during 3 weeks of gestational period (1st, 2nd, 3rd week and complete duration of pregnancy) ad libitum. 18 days after the onset of the experiments animals were sacrificed by deep anesthesia and striping fats deposited in the abdominal cavity from diaphragm to the genitalia were precisely removed and weighted. Result: there was no significant difference between the fat deposition in pregnant and non pregnant animals but the intra abdominal fat deposition in all test groups was significantly reduced in both pregnant and non pregnant animals as compared with their own control group (p&lt;0.05).The effect of saffron on intra abdominal fat deposition was dose and time dependant and maximum effect was seen in animals receiving 0.8% saffron decoction throughout the gestational period. Conclusion: according to our data, saffron is a potent attenuator of fat deposition probably due to its action on food intake and its antioxidative effect [1,2].

In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activities of seeds of Caesalpinia bonduc (Lin.) Roxb.

Aim of the study Caesalpinia bonduc (Lin.) Roxb. is a known drug in Ayurveda to treat various diseases specifically tumors, cysts and cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of this study was to assess in vitro as well as in vivo antimicrobial activity of Caesalpinia bonduc seeds. Materials and methods The in vitro antimicrobial activities of seed coat and seed kernel extracts were investigated by microbroth dilution assay. In vivo activities of hydro-alcoholic extracts were investigated in rat models of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia mimicking that in patients with cystic fibrosis. Results Various extracts of plant seeds exhibited in vitro antimicrobial activities in a range of 22–350 μg/ml. The extracts also showed activity against methicillin resistant (MR) Staphylococcus aureus and ampicillin resistant (AR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa as in the sensitive strains. In rat model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia, hydro-alcoholic extracts of Caesalpinia bonduc seed kernel (CBSK) and Caesalpinia bonduc seed coat (CBSC) were injected subcutaneously in the test groups of animals. The control groups were treated with cortisone and saline. Two weeks after challenge with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the CBSK treated animals showed a significant bacterial clearance from the lungs ( P < 0.04) and less severe incidence of lung abscess ( P < 0.05). Conclusion Results showed that Caesalpinia bonduc may have the potential to be promising natural medicine, with other forms of treatments, for CF patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections.

Diclofenac and ketoprofen liver toxicity in rat

In the last years there appeared many articles about the adverse influence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the liver and heart. This study is concerned with the influence of the duration of treatment with diclofenac and ketoprofen on the macroscopic and microscopic changes in the liver, lungs, heart, and kidneys in rats. Experiments were carried out on mature Wistar strain rats. Animals of test groups received diclofenac and ketoprofen in a dose of 8 mg/kg/day (equivalent to the therapeutic dose for man) during 7 per os (p.o.) or 28 days intraperitoneally (i.p.), whereas controls received physiological solution p.o. A high morbidity was observed in the animals receiving diclofenac p.o. and somewhat lower in those treated with ketoprofen. On the other hand, the rats got through the 28-day i.p. treatment with both drugs mainly without significant complications. Macroscopic examinations revealed some changes in treated rats: distension of the stomach, ascites, fibrin deposits on the internal organs, lung effusion and the changes in color and structure of the liver. These changes were more frequent in the group of rats receiving diclofenac for the 7 days compared with those that received ketoprofen for the same time. It may be thought that the high mortality and macroscopic changes in the internal organs of experimental animals are a consequence of the microscopic changes in the liver and its lowered function.

Evaluation of wound healing activity of Lantana camara L. – a Preclinical study

Lantana camara is used in herbal medicine for the treatment of skin itches, as an antiseptic for wounds, and externally for leprosy and scabies. The objective of our study was to investigate excision wound healing activity of the leaf extract of L. camara in rats. The animals were divided into two groups of 12 each in both the models. The test group animals were treated with the aqueous extract of L. camara (100 mg/kg/day) topically and the control group animals were left untreated. Wound healing efficacy was measured by determining the morphological and biochemical parameters. Wound healing time, wound contraction and synthesis of collagen were monitored periodically. Antimicrobial activities of the extract against the microorganisms were also assessed. Treatment of the wounds with extract enhanced significantly the rate of wound contraction (98%), synthesis of collagen and decreased mean wound healing time. These studies demonstrate that L. camara is effective in healing excision wounds in the experimental animal and could be evaluated as a therapeutic agent in tissue repair processes associated with skin injuries.

Effect of simple cook and defatten processing method on the protein quality of jack bean (&lt;i&gt;Canavalia ensiformis&lt;/i&gt;) seeds

The protein quality of the raw and processed canavalia ensiformis seeds were studied, using 20 weanling wistar albino rats weighing between 55 to 65 g. In compounding of the test diets, the raw seed, cooked and cooked-defatted seeds were used differently as sources of proteins for raw (RD), cooked (CD) and cooked-defatted (CDD) diets respectively. Two controls, nitrogen-free diet (NFD) and casilan diet (CAD) were also prepared. These were assigned to different groups of test animals for 14 days treatment. The cooked-defatted diet (CDD) and casilan diet (CAD) supported growth while Nitrogen-free diet (NFD), raw diet (RD) and cooked diet (CD) did not support growth. The protein efficiency ratio (PER), net protein utilization (NPU), apparent and true digestibility of the raw diets were very low (-4.01 ± 1.66, 48.35 ± 7.64, 44.90 ± 5.22 and 61.01 ± 5.32 respectively), but improved significantly (p

Acceptability and compliance of treatment of parasitic infections amongst the nomadic Fulani herdsmen in southeastern Nigeria

The protein quality of the raw and processed canavalia ensiformis seeds were studied, using 20 weanling wistar albino rats weighing between 55 to 65 g. In compounding of the test diets, the raw seed, cooked and cooked-defatted seeds were used differently as sources of proteins for raw (RD), cooked (CD) and cooked-defatted (CDD) diets respectively. Two controls, nitrogen-free diet (NFD) and casilan diet (CAD) were also prepared. These were assigned to different groups of test animals for 14 days treatment. The cooked-defatted diet (CDD) and casilan diet (CAD) supported growth while Nitrogen-free diet (NFD), raw diet (RD) and cooked diet (CD) did not support growth. The protein efficiency ratio (PER), net protein utilization (NPU), apparent and true digestibility of the raw diets were very low (-4.01 ± 1.66, 48.35 ± 7.64, 44.90 ± 5.22 and 61.01 ± 5.32 respectively), but improved significantly (p

Evaluation of the Wound‐Healing Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Morinda citrifolia L. Leaf

Morinda citrifolia L. (noni) is one of the most important traditional Polynesian medicinal plants. The primary indigenous use of this plant appears to be of the leaves, as a topical treatment for wound healing. The ethanol extract of noni leaves (150 mg kg−1 day−1) was used to evaluate the wound-healing activity on rats, using excision and dead space wound models. Animals were randomly divided into two groups of six for each model. Test group animals in each model were treated with the ethanol extract of noni orally by mixing in drinking water and the control group animals were maintained with plain drinking water. Healing was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, time until complete epithelialization, granulation tissue weight and hydoxyproline content. On day 11, the extract-treated animals exhibited 71% reduction in the wound area when compared with controls which exhibited 57%. The granulation tissue weight and hydroxyproline content in the dead space wounds were also increased significantly in noni-treated animals compared with controls (P < 0.002). Enhanced wound contraction, decreased epithelialization time, increased hydroxyproline content and histological characteristics suggest that noni leaf extract may have therapeutic benefits in wound healing.

Effects of Hibiscus rosa sinensis L (Malvaceae) on Wound Healing Activity: A Preclinical Study in a Sprague Dawley Rat

Hibiscus rosa sinensis (H rosa sinensis), a plant product, has been used for the treatment of a variety of diseases as well as to promote wound healing. The wound-healing activity of the ethanol extract of H rosa sinensis flower was determined in rats, using excision, incision, and dead space wound models and is presented in this report. The animals were randomly divided into 2 groups of 6 each in all the models. Test group animals in each model were treated with the ethanol extract of H rosa sinensis orally by mixing in drinking water (120 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), and the control group animals were maintained with plain drinking water. Healing was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, period of epithelialization, tensile strength (skin breaking strength), granulation tissue weight, and hydroxyproline content. The antimicrobial activity of the flower extract against selected microorganisms that infect the wounds was also assessed. Animals treated with the extract exhibited an 86% reduction in the wound area compared with controls, who exhibited a 75% reduction. The extract-treated animals were found to epithelize their wounds significantly faster than controls (P < .002) and have shown significantly higher skin-breaking strength than controls (P < .002). The dry and wet weight of granulation tissue and hydroxyproline content were also increased significantly when compared with controls. The reported observations suggest H rosa sinensis aids wound healing in the rat model.

Subchronic 90-day oral toxicity study of Chelidonii herba in pigs

Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus L., Papaveraceae) has been traditionally used in a range of conditions including disorders of the liver [1]. On the other hand acute hepatitis cases after a use of preparations with greater celandine were reported [2]. In this study we focused on the safety evaluation of Chelidonii herba (50 ppm) in swine, a model physiologically close to humans. Health status, hematological, biochemical, and histological parameters were monitored. Disposition of alkaloids in plasma and organs was evaluated for sanguinarine (SG) and chelerythrine (CHE), pharmacologically the most active components in C. majus. SG and CHE were found mostly in the feces (0.99 and 1.73µg/g, resp.) and gingiva (0.08 and 0.05µg/g, resp.). In plasma and various tissues alkaloid content was very low or undetectable. During the 90-day experiment no impairment of the animals' health status was observed. No statistically significant differences between control group and test group of animals were found for the weight gain and feed consumption. No significant differences between experimental and control animals were found by histological examinations in specimens of selected tissues. In plasma, globulin, creatinine, AST, GMT and cholesterol were significantly decreased in test group vs control group (P < O.O5). This difference should not be related to the ingestion of SG and CHE as this was ruled out in our previous study, where high doses of SG and CHE were fed to pigs with no effect on above clinical biochemistry findings [3]. Consequently, alteration of clinical biochemistry parameters should originate from other Chelidonii herba components.

DEXA analysis on the bones of rats exposed in utero and neonatally to static and 50 Hz electric fields

Effects of the electromagnetic fields on living bodies, bones in particular, are among the relevant issues of contemporary life. In this study, we report the influences of 50 Hz and 0 Hz (static) electric fields (EF), on intact rat bones, as evaluated by dual energy X-ray absorbtion (DEXA) measurements on bone content and density when these animals (n = 27) are continuously exposed in utero and neonatally to EFs (10 kV/m) 14 days before and 14 days after their birth, for 28 days in total. Differences between 50 Hz EF and static EF groups are found to be significant (95% confidence level) for total bone mineral content (BMC), TBMC (P = .002). Differences between 50 Hz and control groups are found to be significant for total bone mineral density (BMD), TBMD (P = .002), lumbar BMC, LBMC (P = .023), and TBMC (P = .001). Differences between static EF and control groups are found to be significant for femoral BMD, FBMD (P = .009), TBMD (P = .002), LBMC (P = .001), and TBMC (P = .001). Note that TBMC parameters are jointly significant for all differences between the three groups of test animals. These results have shown that both static and 50 Hz EFs influence the early development of rat bones. However, the influence of static EFs is more pronounced than that of the 50 Hz field.

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMALARIAL STUDIES ON SWERTIA ALATA ROYLE

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMALARIAL STUDIES ON SWERTIA ALATA ROYLE

Neutralizing antibodies to African swine fever virus proteins p30, p54, and p72 are not sufficient for antibody-mediated protection

Although antibody-mediated immune mechanisms have been shown to be important in immunity to ASF, it remains unclear what role virus neutralizing antibodies play in the protective response. Virus neutralizing epitopes have been identified on three viral proteins, p30, p54, and p72. To evaluate the role(s) of these proteins in protective immunity, pigs were immunized with baculovirus-expressed p30, p54, p72, and p22 from the pathogenic African swine fever virus (ASFV) isolate Pr4. ASFV specific neutralizing antibodies were detected in test group animals. Following immunization, animals were challenged with 10 4 TCID 50 of Pr4 virus. In comparison to the control group, test group animals exhibited a 2-day delay to onset of clinical disease and reduced viremia levels at 2 days postinfection (DPI); however, by 4 DPI, there was no significant difference between the two groups and all animals in both groups died between 7 and 10 DPI. These results indicate that neutralizing antibodies to these ASFV proteins are not sufficient for antibody-mediated protection.

Passive Biaxial Mechanical Properties of the Rat Bladder Wall After Spinal Cord Injury

Changes in the mechanical properties of the bladder wall after spinal cord injury can alter bladder compliance and wall tension, leading to changes in afferent nerve activity and to abnormal reflex mechanisms. To our knowledge we report the first application of biaxial mechanical testing to the normal bladder wall and demonstrate how these properties change after spinal cord injury. Whole bladders were harvested from mature female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250 to 300 gm. Test group animals underwent complete spinal cord transection at the T9 to T10 level and normal animals comprised the control group. The bladders were cut open longitudinally, the trigone and apex were removed and the remaining tissue was trimmed to a square of 9 to 13 mm. per side. Mechanical properties of the tissue sample were tested using planar biaxial testing, in which a stress was applied in the circumferential and longitudinal (base-apex) directions, and resulting axial strains were measured. In normal and spinal cord injured rats bladder wall tissue demonstrated isotropic mechanical behavior when equal stress levels were applied in anatomical directions. However, under nonequi-biaxial loading bladder specimens were not truly isotropic but displayed anisotropic-like behavior. Spinal cord injured tissues were consistently more compliant than normal controls. Biaxial mechanical testing can detect differences in normal control and hypertrophied rat bladders 10 and 14 days after spinal cord injury. These changes represent an important component of the bladder response to spinal cord injury.

Estudo in vivo de um sistema de liberação de drogas constituído por hidroxiapatita e cisplatina

Um sistema de liberação constituído por hidroxiapatita e cisplatina foi testado em ratos para avaliação da liberação local e sistêmica do antineoplásico cisplatina. Os animais que receberam os implantes com a droga desenvolveram efeitos colaterais ao tratamento, sendo os mais comuns: anorexia, diarréia, epistaxe e necrose cutânea no sítio de implantação; cerca de 45% deste animais morreram, indicando intoxicação. Amostras de sangue e dos tecidos hepático, renal e muscular de todos os animais pertencentes ao experimento foram submetidas à detecção das concentrações de cisplatina, revelando a cinética de liberação da droga pelo sistema proposto.

Safety assessment of potential probiotic lactic acid bacterial strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lb. acidophilus HN017, and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 in BALB/c mice

The general safety of immune-enhancing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 (DR20™), Lb. acidophilus HN017, and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 (DR10™) was investigated in a feeding trial. Groups of BALB/c mice were orally administered test LAB strains or the commercial reference strain Lb. acidophilus LA-1 at 2.5×10 9, 5×10 10 or 2.5×10 12 colony forming units (CFU)/kg body weight/day for 4 weeks. Throughout this time, their feed intake, water intake, and live body weight were monitored. At the end of the 4 week observation period, samples of blood, liver, spleen, kidney, mesenteric lymph nodes, and gut tissues (ileum, caecum, and colon) were collected to determine: haematological parameters (red blood cell and platelet counts, haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration); differential leukocyte counts; blood biochemistry (plasma total protein, albumin, cholesterol, and glucose); mucosal histology (epithelial cell height, mucosal thickness, and villus height); and bacterial translocation to extra-gut tissues (blood, liver, spleen, kidney and mesenteric lymph nodes). DNA finger printing techniques were used to identify any viable bacterial strains recovered from these tissues. The results demonstrated that 4 weeks consumption of these LAB strains had no adverse effects on animals’ general health status, haematology, blood biochemistry, gut mucosal histology parameters, or the incidence of bacterial translocation. A few viable LAB cells were recovered from the tissues of animals in both control and test groups, but DNA fingerprinting did not identify any of these as the inoculated strains. The results obtained in this study suggest that the potentially probiotic LAB strains HN001, HN017, and HN019 are non-toxic for mice and are therefore likely to be safe for human use.

Immediate intradermal flea antigen reactivity in clinically normal adult dogs from south Florida, USA.

Eighty-six clinically normal adult dogs from southern Florida, USA, with no history of dermatitis, were intradermally skin tested with Greer flea antigen 1:1000 w/v to determine the prevalence of positive immediate intradermal reactivity. This study describes the test group of animals and reports the prevalence of sensitivity to the Greer whole-body flea antigen in normal dogs living in a flea-rich environment. Similar to previous research, the highest prevalence of reactivity to flea antigen occurred at 3-4 years of age. The results indicate that 24% of clinically normal dogs from a flea-rich environment exhibited positive immediate skin test reactivity. These dogs had no clinical signs of flea allergic dermatitis (FAD) in spite of ongoing flea exposure. A 2-year follow-up telephone call to the owners of these flea antigen intradermal skin test (IDST)-positive dogs indicated that only two of 21 dogs had developed clinical signs of FAD.

Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) enhances pro-erectile neurotransmission in the corpus cavernosum.

Hypercholesterolaemia is thought to foster atherosclerosis and impotence through its effects on vascular endothelium. In this study, we investigated the pharmacological changes in rabbit corpus cavernosum (CC) secondary to incubation with lysolecithin and hypercholesterolaemia. A daily egg yolk dietary supplement induced gross hypercholesterolaemia in our rabbits. Group A of test animals (n-12) was fed with the yolk content of single egg and group B (n-6), that from two eggs for eight weeks. Serum level estimation revealed a progressive elevation of cholesterol to 15 and 30 times respectively, in the two treated groups as compared to values in the control group (n-6). Early histological manifestations of atherosclerosis were perceived as fat cell lesions in the cavernosum of treated animals. In vitro pharmacological studies on CC strips from both groups of test animals demonstrated a profound accentuation of the contractile responses to noradrenaline and histamine and attenuation of relaxant response to acetylcholine. However, in contrast to single-egg treated group, which demonstrated a reduction in the relaxant response to electrical field stimulation (EFS), there was a marked and statistically significant potentiation of this nitrergic transmission, in the two-eggs group. Prior incubation of CC strips of normolipidaemic rabbits (n-7) with lysolecithin, reproduced similar exaggerated response to EFS. Therefore, from the results of our study, it is concluded that oxidised LDL or its major amphiphile lysolecithin, at some critical level or beyond, may be capable of reverting at least some of the adverse effects of hypercholesterolaemia on erectile function, through its mediating effect on nitrergic transmission.

Protection against Schistosoma mansoni and associated immune responses induced in the vervet monkey Cercopithecus aethiops by the irradiated cercaria vaccine.

The efficacy of the radiation-attenuated schistosome vaccine in eliciting protective immunity was investigated in the vervet Cercopithecus aethiops. Three groups of test animals received one, three, or five exposures to 5,000-9,000 cercariae attenuated with 30 krad of gamma radiation from a 137Cs source, while a fourth group served as challenge controls. After a single vaccination, no statistically significant protection was found; after three vaccinations it reached its highest peak (48%) and five exposures resulted in reduced protection (39%). Examination of immunologic parameters supported these findings, with proliferative responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes being greatest in the group vaccinated three times. Specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels also peaked after three vaccinations, with clear evidence of a reduction after the fourth and fifth exposures. There was a clear correlation (r = 0.66) between the antibody level at the time of challenge and the protection observed in individual vervets. These data demonstrate that protective immunity to Schistosoma mansoni can be achieved with the attenuated vaccine in a highly susceptible nonhuman primate (i.e., 82% maturation of penetrant cercariae was recorded in challenge control animals in this study). However, they also indicate that there is a ceiling to this protection. Furthermore, increasing the number of vaccinations beyond a certain point, instead of boosting protection may cause it to diminish, possibly due to the induction of immunoregulatory mechanisms.

Activation of Pneumocystis carinii Infections in Experimentally Immunosupressed Laborotory Mice

This study was performed on 40 laboratory mice, divided into four different group including ten mice in each. The groups were arranged as two controls (Groups 1 and 4) and two experimental groups (Groups 2 and 3). On the first day of experiments, mice in group 1 were sacrificed to determine latent infection in the animals. On the second group animals, splenectomy was performed and animals were sacrificed 10 days after splenectomy. Third group served as dexamethasone + tetracycline test group. These animals were given 1 mg/lt dexamethasone and 0.5 gr/lt tetracycline in drinking water for 2.5 month. Third group animals were sacrificed at the end of this immunosuppression period. Fourth group animals were also used as the control group and were sacrificed at the end of experiments. In corticosteroid and tetracycline group, animals exhibited significant clinical and macroscopic changes during the observation period and at necropsy whereas in other groups no changes were noticed. In all the animals, necropsy was performed and impression slides were prepared from the lung tissues. After toluidine blue O (TBO) staining, Pneumocystis carinii, trophozoid, precyst and cysts were searched in these slides. Accordingly, in control group animals 10 % of the tissues contained various developmental forms of P. carinii. In splenectomized and corticosteroid plus tetracycline groups, these percentages were 50 (5 animals) and 30 (3 animals) respectively. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of the lung tissues in paraffin sections from infected animals showed that interstitial tissues were increased and in some alveoles, eosinophilic exudate with honeycomb apperence was present. In the exudation, alveolar macrophages and scattered plasma cells were noticed. The lung tissue sections were also stained with Gomori's methanamine silver (GMS). In infected test group animals, it was determined that interalveolar and intraalveolar tissues contained parasitic cysts. In control animals neither parasitic cysts nor morphological changes were observed.