NOPR Collection: Pages 775-852

Inter-relationship of behaviour, faecal testosterone levels and glandular volatiles in determination of dominance in male Blackbuck

2018-11-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Inter-relationship of behaviour, faecal testosterone levels and glandular volatiles in determination of dominance in male Blackbuck Authors: Rajagopal, Thangavel; Ponmanickam, Ponnirul; Chinnathambi, Arunachalam; Padmanabhan, Parasuraman; Gulyas, Balazs; Archunan, Govindaraju Abstract: The social hierarchy of blackbuck plays a crucial role in mate selection and establishment of hierarchy in order to maintain successful reproduction. The factors that influence dominancy have not been yet investigated in the Indian male blackbuck. Here, we investigated the interrelationships between behaviours (aggressive and scent marking), chemical profiles of preorbital gland secretion and faecal testosterone levels in male blackbuck with special reference to dominance hierarchy. The frequency of aggressive behaviour, preorbital gland scent marking behaviour and faecal testosterone level were significantly higher (P <0.001) in the dominant males than the other males. Among the 43 major volatile compounds identified in the pre-orbital gland posting of dominant and subordinate male Blackbucks, four compounds viz., 2-methyl propanoic acid (I), 2-methyl-4-heptanone (II), 2,7-dimethyl-1-octanol (III) and 1,15-pentadecanediol (IV) were present only in the preorbital gland post of the dominant male during the hierarchy period. The results suggest that male blackbuck preorbital gland marking behaviour is meant to defend the home range or territorial region, and the scent odour suppresses aggression, scent marking, scent production and territorial patrolling of subordinate males. The behavioural expression, level of testosterone and volatile chemical profiles are closely interlinked towards establishment of dominance in the blackbuck. This investigation is the first of its kind to detect establishment of dominance hierarchy based on identification of volatile chemical compounds of preorbital gland and assessment of faecal testosterone in blackbuck. Page(s): 781-794

In vitro and in vivo antiestrogenic effects of dichloromethane-methanol extract of Crateva adansonii DC.

2018-11-01T00:00:00Z

Title: In vitro and in vivo antiestrogenic effects of dichloromethane-methanol extract of Crateva adansonii DC. Authors: Zingue, Stéphane; Fogang, Robinson Charly Mbe; Njuh, Amstrong Nang; Tchuidjou, Daniel; Tueche, Alain Brice; Ndinteh, Derek Tantoh; Njamen, Dieudonné Abstract: Despite significant developments in the treatment of cancer, it still remains the second deadly disease, responsible for 8.2 million deaths every year. Various natural substances have been studied for active molecules of tumor suppression in the past, and the tropical flora, by its diversity, continues to provide new antitumor drugs. Crateva adansonii (the sacred barna) dichloromethane-methanol (DCM-MeOH) extract was previously reported to prevent breast tumors in Wistar rats. However, it exhibited weak cytotoxic effect in human MCF-7 cells. The present study, therefore, deals with the investigation of its estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects. In vitro estrogenicity and antiestrogenicity of C. adansonii DCM-MeOH extract were performed by E-screen assay. In vivo, the investigation was carried out using the 3-day uterotrophic assay in ovariectomized rats, a classical tool for prediction of estrogenicity of chemicals. As a result, C. adansonii extract did not induce MCF-7 cells proliferation, which is an estrogenic hallmark. However, C. adansonii extract induced a significant (P <0.05) decrease in a concentration-dependent manner of the MCF-7 proliferation when co-administered with E2B. In vivo, no estrogen-like effect was observed following a 3-day treatment with C. adansonii extract in estrogen target organs. However, the co-administration of C. adansonii extract with E2V lead to decreased uterine wet weight (P <0.05), total protein levels in uteri (P <0.01) as well as uterine and vaginal epithelial heights (P <0.05) as compared to animals treated with E2V only. These results suggest that C. adansonii has antiestrogenic effects but not estrogenic effects, which might account for its previously observed antimammary tumour effects in rats. Page(s): 795-802

Effect of cinnamic aldehyde as repellent on behaviour and gastrointestinal tract of house rat, Rattus rattus

2018-11-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Effect of cinnamic aldehyde as repellent on behaviour and gastrointestinal tract of house rat, Rattus rattus Authors: Kaur, Amanpuneet; Babbar, BK Abstract: Cinnamic aldehyde (CA) is a major constituent of cinnamomum bark oil. Though there are reports on the antifeedant effect of CA in house rat, understanding its effect on behaviour and gastrointestinal tract of house rat is necessary to develop an effective formulation for its field application against commensal rodents. In the present investigation, rats were fed on plain bait and 5% CA treated bait both under no-choice and bi-choice conditions for 30 days. Results revealed its potential as an antifeedant against R. rattus under both no-choice and bi-choice conditions. However, antifeedant/secondary repellent effect of 5% CA was more under bi-choice conditions. Studies on feeding and tactile behaviour of rats in response to 5% CA also revealed its irritant effect. Histomorphological studies on stomach and intestine of 5% CA treated rats revealed that in no-choice group of rats, 5% CA caused hyperplasia of non-glandular stomach and also caused reduction in number of cells of both intestinal and gastric glands which might have caused reduction in secretion of digestive juices and hormones resulting in reduction in consumption of treated bait. But in bi-choice group, GI tract was not affected. Reduction in consumption of treated bait in bi-choice group of rats might have occurred due to its irritant effect on skin and eyes of rats causing rats to prefer alternate plain bait under bi-choice conditions. Page(s): 803-811

Diminazene aceturate attenuates oxidative and nitrosative imbalance in rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi Steel

2018-11-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Diminazene aceturate attenuates oxidative and nitrosative imbalance in rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi Steel Authors: Panigrahi, Padma Nibash; Dey, Sahadeb; Maharana, Biswaranjan; Mahajan, Sumit; Dan, Ananya Abstract: Trypanosomosis is an endemic disease in many parts of the world especially in tropical countries like India. Anaemia, thrombocytopenia and free radical mediated tissue damage is thought to play critical role in the pathogenesis of trypanosomosis, but its exact mechanism is not clearly understood till now. Hence, the present study was designed to access the correlation between oxidative stress indices and anaemia, and also with thrombocytopenia in trypanosomosis which can reveal the additional information regarding pathogenesis of the disease as well as to assess the ameliorating effect of dimenazene aceturate in reducing the oxidative stress and its correlation with anaemia and thrombocytopenia in rat model. Twenty four rats were randomly divided in to four groups (n=6). Group C and Group D rats were intraperitoneally inoculated with 10⁴ Trypanosoma evansi Steel on day 0 and were checked regularly for onset of parasitaemia. At the onset of streaming parasitaemia (day 3), the Group D rats were treated with diminazine aceturate intra muscularly but Group C rats did not receive any treatment. Group B rats were injected with the same dose of diminazine aceturate on day 3 and acted as treatment control while Group A played as healthy control. Blood was collected from individual rats on day 0, 3 and 7 for evaluation of haematological parameters, oxidative stress indices (LPO, GSH, SOD and CAT) and nitric oxide (NO). At the end of study (day 7) brain sample was collected from each rat for PCR and histopathology. A negative correlation of haemoglobin and platelet count with LPO and a positive correlation with GSH, SOD and CAT were observed which implicates their role in the pathogenesis of anaemia and thrombocytopenia. The significant increase in haematological values and antioxidant indices (GSH, SOD and CAT) as well as the significant decrease in LPO and NO observed after diminazene therapy (Group D), indicate that diminazene aceturate is highly effective in combating oxidative as well as nitrosative damage caused by T. evansi and also significantly check anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Page(s): 812-819