Effects of L-Arginine Supplementation on Leukogram, Inflammatory Bowel Infiltrates and Immunoglobulins with 5-FU Use in Rats.

This study evaluated the effects of L-arginine supplementation on blood parameters, kidney and liver function, immunoglobulins and noninflammatory infiltrates in the small intestines of rats subjected to chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Thirty-two Wistar rats were randomly distributed into 4 groups (8 rats/group): an untreated control group, and test groups receiving one dose of 5-FU (G5-FU group), one dose of 5-FU and 295 mg L-arginine/day (GArg295 group) or one dose of 5-FU and 458 mg L-arginine/day (GArg458 group). Neutrophil count, platelet count, serum IgA, and fibrinogen levels in GArg295 and GArg458 remained within normal limits after chemotherapy. In addition, in GArg458 the inflammatory bowel infiltrates improved in 57% of the rats, which showed mild inflammation. The results suggest that daily supplementation with 295 or 458 mg L-arginine attenuates the side effects of 5-FU, including thrombocytopenia and neutropenia, and modulates IgA production. Supplementation with 458 mg of L-arginine/day can also reduce mucositis levels in the small intestine after 5-FU chemotherapy.

Fractal features of rabbit dermal wounds treated with platelet-rich plasma and topical rosuvastatin.

The healing process comprises a sequence of molecular and cellular events that interact to restore injured tissue. Biomaterials such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have been widely used to promote healing by better collagen distribution. Studies have also shown that statin-associated biomaterials may improve endothelial function and increase re-epithelialization. When assessing healing, the analysis of collagen architecture is critical. One form of evaluation used to identify structural changes in the skin is fractal dimension (FD) analysis, which facilitates the characterisation of irregular structures on histologic slides, and quantification of existing alterations by an accurate technique that is independent of the evaluator. The aim of the current study was to assess the feasibility of using rosuvastatin (RSV) alone and combined with autologous PRP to analyze collagen fibers by FD analysis. Skin lesions were experimentally induced in adult male rabbits, and were then treated with either sodium chloride solution (control), RSV gel, autologous PRP gel, or RSV gel and autologous PRP gel combined. Thirty-two biopsies of the lesions were obtained, on days 7, 14 and 17. All treatments were associated with reduced FDs at all three time-points. The FDs of the wounds that were treated with RSV and PRP combined were significantly lower on day 7 (P < 0.05), suggesting that the combination may favour the reorganisation of fibres during the initial healing process. The use of FD analysis for collagen evaluation was evidently reliable. More studies are needed, to evaluate collagen and healing associated with RSV and PRP in experimentally induced wounds.

Concentrações de ferro, cobre, zinco e manganês em equinos da raça Puro-sangue Lusitano, antes e após exercício / Serum concentration of iron, copper, zinc and manganese in Pure-bred Lusitano horses, before and after exercise

O presente trabalho objetivou determinar a atividade sérica dos microminerais ferro, cobre, zinco e manganês em 30 equinos atletas da raça Puro-sangue Lusitano (PSL), antes e depois de exercícios, atestados por avaliações clínicas e laboratoriais. Amostras de sangue foram colhidas, antes e imediatamente após 20 minutos de exercício físico de trote e galope suaves realizados em pista de areia, para a realização das dosagens dos microminerais. A concentração dos microelementos foi determinada por espectrofotometria de absorção atômica. Observou-se que após o exercício, a atividade sérica de ferro não sofreu variações (P=0,2365), enquanto os valores de cobre se elevaram significativamente após o treinamento (P<0,001). Já o zinco e o manganês diminuíram após o exercício (P<0,001). Pode-se concluir que o exercício físico de curta duração pode gerar sudorese capaz de alterar as concentrações séricas de ferro, cobre, zinco e manganês em cavalos atletas da raça Puro-sangue Lusitano.

In order to evaluate the sera concentrations of iron, copper, zinc and manganese trace minerals in thirty Pure-bred Lusitano athlete horses before and after exercise certified by clinical and laboratory assessments were studied. Blood samples were taken before and after 20 minutes of a dairy trot and gallop slight training, perfomed in a sandy floor ring, to measure the mineral concentrations, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. It was observed that after exercising, the serum activity of iron did not change (P=0.2365), whereas copper values have significantly risen after training (P<0.001). On the other hand, zinc and manganese trace minerals decreased after exercise (P<0.001). In conclusion, it is possible to consider that the short time exercise may trigger sweating and consequently to change the serum concentration of iron, cooper, zinc and manganese in Pure-bred Lusitano athlete horses.

Metabolismo oxidativo dos neutrófilos de ovinos tratados com monensina sódica e experimentalmente submetidos à acidose ruminal / Oxidative metabolism of the neutrophils in sheep treated with sodium monensin and experimentally submitted to ruminal acidosis

A acidose láctica ruminal é causada pela ingestäo excessiva de carboidratos de fermentaçäo rápida sem uma prévia adaptaçäo dos mocroorganismos, podendo com isso gerar distúrbios metabólicos graves aos ruminantes. Este trabalho tem por objetivo estudar o metabolismo oxidativo dos neutrófilos em ovinos tratados com a monensina sódica na acidose láctica ruminal induzida experimentalmente. Foram empregados 18 ovinos, machos, mestiços (Ideal x Merino), fistulados no rúmen; dos quais nove receberam 33 mg/kg da dieta do ionóforo ao dia, durante 30 dias, os demais ovinos pertenceram ao grupo controle. A acidose foi induzida fornecendo 15g de sacarose/kg de peso corporal. A avaliaçäo clínica e as amostras de rúmen e sangüíneas foram obtidas antes (momento controle) 0h e às 6h, 12h, 24h e 48h pós-induçäo. Em ambos os grupos os animais apresentaram manifestaçöes clínicas de acidose láctica ruminal 6 horas pós-induçäo. A partir deste período se observou uma diminuiçäo significativa (p<0,05) do pH no fluido ruminal, que alcançou valores inferiores a cinco, e diferenças significativas (p<0,05) entre os grupos a partir das 12h pós-induçäo foram constatadas, nos quais os ovinos tratados com a monensina apresentaram valores superiores em relaçäo aos do grupo controle. Durante este período ocorreu uma inibiçäo do metabolismo oxidativo dos neutrófilos nos animais estudados, ocorrendo restabelecimento desta funçäo somente nos ovinos que receberam a monensina. O pH sangüíneo, a glicose plasmática e o cálcio ionizável sofreram alteraçöes nos seus índices. A concentraçäo do cortisol sérico elevou-se de forma significativa (p< 0,05) em ambos os grupos, porém diferenças (p< 0,05) entre eles foram constatadas ao final no período de observaçäo. O tratamento com a monensina näo influenciou o metabolismo oxidativo dos neutrófilos, inibido pela acidose láctica; porém se verificou uma recuperaçäo mais rápida deste metabolismo nos animais em que receberam o ionóforo