Pulsed wave Doppler echocardiographic assessment after sedation by intravenous injection of medetomidine and xylazine hydrochloride on cardiac output and systolic time intervals in one-humped camel calves (Camelus dromedarious).

BACKGROUND: Pulsed wave (PW) Doppler echocardiography provides a convenient and noninvasive tool for measuring cardiac output (CO) alternations after the administration of sedative drugs, but this is not a usual method for camelids. AIMS: The aim of the present study was to investigate the changes of the left and right ventricular outflow tracts (LVOT and RVOT), CO, and systolic time intervals following the intravenous (IV) injection of medetomidine (M) and xylazine (X) using PW Doppler echocardiography. METHODS: Twenty apparently healthy immature male one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarious) were selected and divided into four groups (five animals per group). Medetomidine and X were injected to the left jugular vein at two different doses of 10 and 20 µg/kg, and 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg, respectively. Effects on echocardiographic parameters were assessed at 4 intervals: before, 3, 60, and 120 min after drug administrations. RESULTS: Velocity time integrity (VTI), maximum/mean flow velocity (Vmax and Vmean) and maximum/mean pressure gradient (PGmax and PGmean) decreased in aortic and pulmonic valves. Left ventricular ejection time (LVET) and LVET + pre ejection period (PEP) decreased and PEP and PEP/LVET increased in all groups except the low dose X group, 3 min after drug administration (P<0.05). The least values of VTI, velocity (V), PG and CO were observed after 60 min in the low dose X group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: A relationship was found between the intensity and the duration of changes in cardiac parameters and both types and dosages of the injected drugs. We concluded that X and M have transient depressor effects on the ventricular outflow tract and CO of healthy camels.

Effects of Cuminum cyminum L. essential oil on some epididymal sperm parameters and histopathology of testes following experimentally induced copper poisoning in mice.

Copper overload can cause sperm cell damage by inducing oxidative stress. On the other hand, cumin has a good antioxidant potential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of cumin on sperm quality and testicular tissue following experimentally induced copper poisoning in mice. Forty-eight mature male mice were divided into four equal groups as follows: group Cu which received 0.1 ml copper sulphate at dose of 100 mg kg(-1) , group Cc which received Cuminum cyminum at dose of 1 mg kg(-1) , treatment group which received copper sulphate (100 mg kg(-1) ) and treated with Cuminum cyminum (1 mg kg(-1) ), and control group which received the same volume of normal saline. Six mice in each group were sacrificed at week 4 and week 6. The results showed that sperm concentration, motility and viability in group Cu were significantly decreased at weeks 4 and 6, and severe degenerative changes were observed in testicular tissues in comparison with the control group. In treatment group, significant improvement in the sperm count, motility and viability, and normal architecture in most seminiferous tubules with organised epithelium was observed compared to the group Cu. The sperm quality parameters in the treatment group approached those of the control group.

Ultrastructural and morphometrical changes of mice ovaries following experimentally induced copper poisoning.

BACKGROUND: Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element involved in normal reproduction but its overexposure may produce some detrimental effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of copper sulfate poisoning on morphometery of mice ovarian structures and probable intracellular changes. METHODS: Thirty mature female mice were randomly allocated to control and two treatment groups. In treatment groups, two different doses of copper sulfate including 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg in 0.2 cc were applied once a day for 35 consecutive days by gavage. Control animals received normal saline using the same volume and similar method. Animals from each experimental group were sacrificed 14 and 35 days after the beginning of drug administration and the left ovaries were removed for stereological evaluations by light microscopy and right ovaries were obtained for preparing electron microscopic sections. RESULTS: The morphometrical results showed that only the number of antral follicles was decreased by 100 mg/kg copper sulfate on day 14 compared to the control group (P=0.043). Hence, higher copper dose or longer consumption period significantly reduced different classes of follicles and corpora lutea. With 100 mg/kg copper sulfate some mild ultrastructural cell damages such as decrease of zona pellucida thickness, limited vacuolated areas and nuclear envelop dilation were seen on day 14. Higher or longer Cu administration produced more detrimental effects including more vacuolated areas, presence of secondary lysosomes, irregularity in cell shape and segmented nuclei with condensed and marginated chromatin and more enlarged and damaged mitochondria. CONCLUSION: New evidences of early as well as late intracellular damages of copper has been presented by accurate stereological and ultrastructural methods. Antral follicles was the most susceptible cells with the lower and shorter copper consumption and long term or higher dose of copper affected the whole of ovarian structures.

Evaluation of epididymal sperm quality following experimentally induced copper poisoning in male rats.

The trace element copper has been identified as a highly toxic element for spermatozoa. Our goal in this study was to assess relationship between copper poisoning and semen quality parameters. In this study, sixty male Wistar albino rats weighing 200-240 g (3.5-4 months old) were divided into three different groups of twenty rats as follows: the first group (Group 100), which was treated by gavage with copper sulphate at a dose of 100 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for 8 weeks; the second group (Group 200), which received 200 mg kg(-1) day(-1) copper sulphate by gavage during experimental period (56 days); and the control group (Group C), which received the same volume of distilled water by gavage during experimental period. The blood, semen and histopathological samples were obtained from five cases of 20 animals of each group every 2 weeks at 2, 4, 6 and 8th week. Results showed that sperm concentration, motility and viability in group 100 and 200 were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in comparison with group C. A significant decrease in sperm concentration, motility and viability indicates the possibility of adverse effect of copper poisoning on male fertility. Copper might be mediator of the effect of oxidative damage and play an essential role in spermatogenesis and male infertility.

Polioencephalomalacia associated with closantel overdosage in a goat.

This report describes clinical and pathological findings associated with closantel (a halogenated salicylanilide anthelmintic) overdosage in a 3-year-old goat. The clinical signs included blindness, incoordination, ataxia, depression of the palpebral and pupillary reflexes, and recumbency. No gross lesions were noted in tissue or organs at necropsy, but microscopic lesions were seen in nervous tissue and hepatic cells. Polioencephalomalacia was clearly evident. Bilaterally symmetrical status spongiosus of the white matter of the brain, bilateral laminar necrosis, microcavitations, ischaemic cell change and severe degeneration of the cerebellum were seen in nervous tissue. Fatty change and hydropic degeneration in the liver and hepato-cellular degeneration were observed histologically.