Pharmacokinetics of low molecular weight phenolic compounds in gerbil plasma after the consumption of calafate berry (Berberis microphylla) extract.

Calafate is a berry with high concentration of anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids that grows in South Patagonia. To date, no metabolism studies of phenolic compounds using calafate have been carried out. A calafate extract was characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. After extract administration (300 mg/kg), a pharmacokinetic study of phenolic compounds in gerbil plasma was performed by GC-MS/MS. Sixteen phenolic acids increased after intake. Phenylacetic acid derivatives exhibit the highest concentration, while main increase of phenolic catabolites was observed 2 h post-intake. 3-hydroxyphenylacetic and phenylacetic acids increased at 4-8 h post-intake. All catabolites found in gerbil plasma exhibit concentration peaks between 0.1 and 1 µM, however no parental anthocyanins were detected. Establish in vivo plasmatic concentration ranges of phenolic compounds derived from polyphenol consumption following WHO recommendations, plays a key role to carry out future in vitro assays in order to correctly assign biological benefits of calafate berry consumption.

Vascularização arterial da base do encéfalo do gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus Milne-Edwards, 1867) / Arterial vascularization of the base of the cerebrum of mongolian gerbils(Meriones unguiculatus Milne-Edwards, 1867)

Objetivou-se descrever e sistematizar as artérias da base do encéfalo. Foram utilizados dez gerbils que se encontravamarmazenados em freezer no laboratório de Morfofisiologia Animal Aplicada da Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido. Osanimais foram descongelados, incisados na linha mediana para identificação do ventrículo esquerdo, o qual foi perfurado einjetados 3ml de Látex Neoprene 650 na concentração de 20% e no pigmento vermelho. Posteriormente aguardou-se cerca de 1minuto em virtude da polimerização do Látex e logo após foram fixados por imersão em solução aquosa de Formaldeído a 3,7% eapós 72 horas, tiveram os encéfalos removidos da calota craniana para análise de sua superfície ventral. Foi visto que o sistemavertebrobasilar e carótico estiveram presentes em todos os animais analisados, mostrando-se responsável pela vascularizaçãodo encéfalo caudal e rostral, respectivamente. As principais artérias observadas no modelo padrão incluem as ímpares: basilar,espinhal ventral, ramo medial da artéria cerebral rostral e as pares: vertebral, cerebelar caudal, cerebelar média, trigeminal,cerebelar rostral, ramo terminal da basilar, carótida interna, cerebral caudal, hipofisária, cerebral média, cerebral rostral, lateral dobulbo olfatório e etmoidal interna. Conclui-se com base nos resultados que a irrigação da superfície ventral encefálica do gerbilfoi suprida pelos sistemas vertebro-basilar e carótico de forma equivalente, pertencendo assim ao modelo do tipo II. O circuitoarterioso apresentou-se aberto caudalmente e fechado rostralmente, fato que difere do relatado em roedores como capivara,cutia, preá, chinchila e nutria.(AU)

The objective was to describe and systematize the arteries of the base of the brain. Ten gerbils were used, which were stored in afreezer in the Laboratory of Applied Animal Morphophysiology of the Federal Rural Semi-Arid University. The animals were thawed,incised in the midline to identify the left ventricle, which was punctured and injected 3 ml of Latex Neoprene 650 at a concentrationof 20% and red pigment. After about one minute the polymerization of the Latex was delayed and afterwards fixed by immersionin 3.7% aqueous Formaldehyde solution and after 72 hours the brain was removed from the skull cap for analysis of its ventralsurface. It was observed that the vertebro-basilar and carotid system were present in all animals analyzed, being responsible forthe vascularization of the caudal and rostral encephalon, respectively. The main arteries observed in the standard model includethe odd: basilar, ventral spinal, medial branch of the rostral cerebral artery and, the pairs: vertebral, cerebellar caudal, cerebellarmedial, trigeminal, cerebellar rostral, terminal branch of the basilar, internal carotid, caudal cerebral, Pituitary, middle cerebral, rostral,lateral, olfactory and internal ethmoidal. Based on the results, the irrigation of the ventral brain surface of the gerbil was suppliedby the vertebro-basilar and carotic systems in an equivalent way, thus belonging to the type II model. The arterial circuit was opencaudally and closed rostrally, a fact that differs from that reported in rodents such as capybara, agouti, cavy, chinchilla and nutria.(AU)

Sexual maturation of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus): a histological, hormonal and spermatic evaluation.

This study determined the phases of sexual development of the male Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) based on an integrative analysis of testicular morphology, hormonal data and sperm parameters. Male gerbils were analysed at 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 50, 60, 70, 90, 100 and 120 days of age. Body, testicular and epididymal weights increased up to Day 70, 60 and 90, respectively. The impuberal phase, characterised by the presence of gonocytes, extended until Day 14. The prepubertal period lasted until Day 42, when puberty was achieved and a drastic increase in serum testosterone levels, mature adult Leydig cells and elongated spermatids was observed. Gerbils at 60 days of age showed a remarkable number of spermatozoa in the testis, epididymidis caput/corpus and cauda, and at Day 70 the maximum daily sperm production was reached. However, the gerbil may be considered sexually mature only from Day 90 onward, when sperm reserves become stable. The total transit time of spermatozoa along the epididymis of sexually mature gerbils was 11 days, with 1 day in the caput/corpus and 10 days in the cauda. These data cover a lacuna regarding the reproductive parameters of this rodent and provide foundations for its use in testicular toxicology studies.