Effects of melatonin in rats in the initial third stage of pregnancy exposed to sub-lethal doses of herbicides.

Exposure to the herbicides Paraquat (PQ) and Roundup® may cause cell lesions due to an increase in oxidative stress levels in different biological systems, even in the reproductive system. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the possible changes in reproductive parameters and hepatic, as well as its prevention by simultaneous application of melatonin. METHODS: Thirty-five female rats at the age of 3 months were divided into seven groups: three groups exposed to sub-lethal doses of the herbicides PQ (50mg/kg) and Roundup® (500mg/kg) (n=5, G2, G3 and G4); three groups exposed to herbicides and simultaneous treatment with 10mg/kg of Melatonin (n=5, G5, G6 and G7) and control group (n=5, G1) from the first to the seventh day of pregnancy. On the seventh day of pregnancy, the rats were anesthetized and euthanized, followed by laparotomy to remove their reproductive tissues and liver. Body and ovary weights were taken and the number of implantation sites, corpora lutea, preimplantation losses, implantation rates were counted and histopathology of the implantation sites, morphometry of the surface and glandular epithelia of endometrium and hepatic oxidative stress were undertaken. RESULTS: The present study shows the decrease in body and ovary weight, decrease in the number of implantation sites, implantation rate, in the total number of corpora lutea and increase of preimplantation percentages were observed when compared to the G1: Fig. 1 and Table 1, (p>0.001 ANOVA/Tukey). The histopathological analysis of the implantation sites showed a disorder of the cytotrophoblast and cell degeneration within the blastocyst cavity in Fig. 4. Morphometry revealed a reduction in surface and glandular epithelia and in the diameter of the endometrial glands (Table 2; p>0.05 ANOVA/Tukey), whereas in liver, serum levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were found to be significantly elevated (Fig. 2; p>0.001; p>0.05 ANOVA/Tukey), and serum level of reduced glutathione (GSH) was significantly lower (Fig. 3; p>0.001 ANOVA/Tukey). However, treatments with melatonin exhibited improvements in reproductive parameters, as well as reduced lesions in the implantation sites (Fig. 4.) and in serum levels TBARS (Fig. 2; p>0.001 ANOVA/Tukey), serum levels GSH (Fig. 3; p>0.001; p>0.05 ANOVA/Tukey). CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal that melatonin is a protective agent against experimentally induced maternal/embryo toxicity with herbicides and favoring normalization of reproductive parameters and hepatic.

Endocardite infecciosa valvular em uma cadela com endometrite: relato de Caso / Infectious endocarditis valvular in a dog with endometritis: case report

Objetiva-se relatar um caso de endocardite da válvula mitral em cadela da raça boxer, com seis anos de idade, que foi encaminhada ao HV da UFRPE. Durante o exame clínico o animal veio a óbito. Na necropsia notou-se no fígado um abscesso de três centímetros de diâmetro e no útero havia grande quantidade de material muco-purulento. No ventrículo esquerdo do coração percebiam-se várias formações de aspecto vegetativo aderidas à válvula mitral. À histopatologia evidenciou-se hiperplasia endometrial cística e endometrite purulenta. Nos fragmentos do coração constatou-se que as massas aderidas às válvulas eram constituídas por tecido conjuntivo frouxo, leucócitos, fibrina, debris celulares e sangue. Cultura da secreção uterina, do abscesso hepático e dos trombos valvulares revelou a presença de Staphylococcus sp. Os achados anatomo-histopatológicos e microbiológicos permitem concluir tratar-se de endocardite bacteriana valvular mitral vegetativa consequente a endometrite crônica.

The goal of this paper is present a case of mitral valve endocarditis in a 6-year-old female dog due chronic endometritis. The animal was guided to the Veterinary Hospital at Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Brazil, but the animal died during the physical examination. At the necropsy, a liver abscess, 3,0 cm in diameter, uterine with purulent content and some also vegetative formations adhered to the mitral valve were visually recognized in the left ventricle of the heart. Histopathologically, cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH), and purulent endometritis were observed. In the valves a mass adhered was present, which one was constituted by slack conjunctive tissue, leukocyte, fibrin, cellular scraps and blood. Uterine secretion, hepatic abscess content and the valvular clots culture revealed the presence of Staphylococcus sp. In conclusion, this case revealed the importance of the anatomohistopathological and microbiological diagnosis for the vegetative mitral valve endocarditis in dogs with endometritis.

Changes in mouse Leydig cells ultrastructure and testosterone secretion after diethylcarbamazine administration.

Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) has been proven to be highly effective against lymphatic filariasis, although its effect on vertebrate cells remains uncertain. Mice Leydig cells after treatment with 200mg/kg of DEC for 12 days showed numerous lipid droplets, degenerated mitochondria, residual bodies and several giant whorl-like smooth endoplasmic reticulum, some of them encircling large lipids droplets. Treatment with lower dosages showed similar alterations on Leydig cells and the morphological effects decreased directly proportional to the drug concentration. Serum testosterone levels were significantly lower only in 200 mg/kg DEC-treated group when compared to the controls. However, no significant changes were observed in the pregnancy rates and offspring number of DEC-treated male-mated female mice in any doses studied. The results obtained in the present study are consistent with the hypothesis that DEC has some effects on mice Leydig cells, although they were not sufficient enough to interfere with the rodent fertility.