Qualidade seminal e morfometria testicular de coelhos (Oryctolagus cuniculus) suplementados com geleia real / Seminal quality and testicular morphometry of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) supplemented with royal jelly

Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da geleia real na qualidade seminal e na morfometria testicular de coelhos. Quatorze coelhos adultos da raça Nova Zelândia foram distribuídos em três grupos: com administração diária de 1mL de água, via oral (SG); administração diária de 0,5mg (0,5G) de geleia real diluída em 1mL de água, via oral; e administração diária de 1,0mL (1,0G) de geleia real diluída em 1mL de água, via oral. O fornecimento de geleia real foi iniciado 30 dias antes das coletas de sêmen, permanecendo durante todo o período de coleta, totalizando 90 dias. Utilizou-se o método da vagina artificial para coleta de sêmen. Foram avaliados os parâmetros físicos e morfológicos do sêmen e os parâmetros de morfometria testicular. Houve diferença no volume seminal do 0,5G (0,54±0,22) em relação ao SG (0,39±0,13) e ao 1,0G (0,30±0,09) (P<0,05). Para os grupos SG, 0,5G e 1,0G, não houve diferença (P>0,05) para turbilhonamento espermático, concentração espermática, motilidade progressiva e vigor espermático. Os defeitos maiores no grupo 0,5G (8,52±3,26) foram menores do que nos grupos SG (14,09±4,26) e 1,0G (16,1±3,95) (P<0,05). Não houve diferença entre os defeitos menores e os defeitos totais (P>0,05). Os pesos corporal, testicular, epididimário e o índice gonadossomático não diferiram entre os grupos (P>0,05). A ingestão diária de 0,5mg de geleia real apresentou efeitos positivos na morfologia espermática de coelhos.

A trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of royal jelly on the seminal quality and testicular morphometry of rabbits. Fourteen mature rabbits of New Zealand breed were distributed between three groups. The first group was supplied with 1mL of water only (SG), the second group was supplied with 0.5mg of royal jelly diluted in 1mL of water (0.5G), and the third group was supplied with 1mg of royal jelly also diluted in 1mL of water (1.0G). The royal jelly supply started 30 days before semen collection and lasted the entire experimental period. An artificial vagina was used to collect the rabbits' semen. Physical and morphological parameters in the semen and the testicular morphometry were evaluated. Differences were found on the seminal volume in group 0.5G(0,54±0,22) in relation to SG (0,39±0,13) and 1.0G (0,30±0,09) groups (P<0.05). For SG, 0.5G and 1.0G groups, no differences (P>0.05) were found in sperm concentration, gross motility, individual motility and vigor. The total of primary defects in group 0.5G (8,52±3,26) was lower than in groups SG (14,09±4,2) and 1.0G (16,1±3,95) (P<0.05). No significant difference was found between secondary defects and the total defects on the semen (P>0.05). Body, testicular and epididymal weights did not differ between groups, as well to the gonadosomatic index (P>0.05). The ingestion of royal jelly produced positive results on the seminal production of males.

Microscopia e morfometria de componentes tubulares de testículos de coelhos suplementados com geleia real / Microscopy and morphometry of tubular components of rabbit testis supplemented with royal jelly

Estudaram-se os efeitos da geleia real sobre a espermatogênese de coelhos tratados com diferentes concentrações de geleia real. Os tratamentos foram formados por três grupos: grupo-controle; grupo que recebeu 0,5mg/dia de geleia real; e grupo que recebeu 1,0mg/dia de geleia real. O estudo envolveu a morfometria testicular. Não houve diferença entre os tratamentos quanto aos pesos corporal (T1=3,20±0,19kg, T2=2,96±0,30kg e T3=3,21±0,37kg) e gonadal (T1=2,36±0,33g, T2=2,53±0,33g e T3=2,64±0,39g) e quanto aos índices gonadossomático (T1=0,15±0,02%, T2=0,17±0,03% e T3=0,16±0,02%) e tubulossomático (T1=0,06±0,01%; T2=0,07±0,01% e T3=0,06±0,01%). O diâmetro médio dos túbulos seminíferos (T1=225,95±13,27µm, T2=239,68±21,50µm e T3=231,57±15,94µm), a altura do epitélio seminífero (T1=66,05±5,37µm, T2= 73,47±9,11µm e T3=63,34±4,79µm) e o comprimento de túbulos seminíferos por testículo (T1=46,63±13,44m, T2=43,58±12,17m e T3=46,96±9,54m) e por grama de testículo (T1=19,50±2,68m, T2=17,12±3,91m e T3=17,78±1,98m) não diferiram entre tratamentos. Conclui-se que a suplementação com geleia real, nas doses utilizadas, não altera as características testiculares avaliadas.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of royal jelly on spermatogenesis in rabbits treated with different concentrations of RJ (Control; 0,5mg/day; and 1,0mg/day) using testicular morphometry. There was no significant difference between the body weight (T1= 3.20±0.19kg; T2= 2.96±0.30kg; T3=3.21±0.37kg) and gonadal weight (T1= 2.36±0.33g; T2= 2.53±0.33g; T3= 2.64±0.39g), gonadossomatic index (T1= 0.15±0.02%; T2= 0.17±0.03%. T3= 0.16±0.02%) and tubulossomatic index (T1= 0.06±0.01%; T2= 0.07±0.01%. T3= 0.06±0.01%) between treatments, showing that the percentage of body mass, and the percentage of seminiferous tubules allocated in testis were similar in the 3 experimental groups. Similarly, the mean diameter of the seminiferous tubules (T1= 225.95±13.27µm; T2=239.68±21.50µm; T3= 231.57±15,94µm), the height of the seminiferous epithelium (T1=66,05±5,37µm; T2=73.47±9.11µm; T3=63.34±4.79 µm) and length of seminiferous tubule for testis (T1=46.63±13.44m; T2=43.58±12.17m; T3=46.96±9.54m) and per gram of testis (T1=19.50±2.68m; T2=17.12±3.91m; T3=17.78±1.98m) did not differ statistically. It was concluded that supplementation with royal jelly, at the doses used, did not alter the testicular parameters evaluated here.

Energy reserves of Artibeus lituratus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in two areas with different degrees of conservation in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Forest fragmentation associated with the expansion of human development is a phenomenon that occurs worldwide. Studies reveal that there have been both a decline in species diversity and a decrease in Neotropical bat population size because of habitat loss. The aim of this study was to investigate whether human action has been affecting the food availability to wildlife species, which could impact the storage of body energy reserves. For this purpose, fruit-eating bats (Artibeus lituratus) were collected in two areas in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The concentrations of plasma glucose, as well as glycogen, lipids and protein in liver in muscles were performed, in addition to adipose tissue weight and carcass fatty acids. Our results indicate that fat reserves were significantly lower in most tested tissues (muscle of the hindlimbs, breast muscles, adipose tissue and carcass) in animals collected in the region with a higher degree of human disturbance. The other parameters showed no significant differences in the groups collected at different locations. In conclusion, we suggest that human action on the environment may be affecting the storage of body fat energy reserves of this species during the autumn, particularly in metropolitan region areas of Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil, requiring special attention to the species conservation.

Parâmetros morfofisiológicos testiculares de camundongos (Mus musculus) suplementados com geleia real / Morphophysiological parameters of mice (Mus musculus) testicles supplemented with royal jelly

Avaliaram-se os efeitos da geleia real sobre os parâmetros morfofisiológicos testiculares de camundongos (Mus musculus). Utilizaram-se 57 machos Swiss, com quatro meses de idade, distribuídos aleatoriamente em seis tratamentos: T1: solução fisiológica, via intraperitoneal; T2: 0,1mg de geleia real, via intraperitoneal; T3: 0,2mg de geleia real, via intraperitoneal; T4: água destilada, via oral; T5: 0,1mg de geleia real, via oral; e T6: 0,2mg de geleia real, via oral. Após 45 dias de suplementação com geleia real, os animais sacrificados e pesados tiveram seus testículos coletados, incluídos em parafina e corados com hematoxilina/eosina. Não houve diferença entre os tratamentos quanto aos: pesos corporal e testicular, índice gonadossomático, diâmetro tubular, altura do epitélio, comprimento total dos túbulos seminíferos, comprimento tubular por grama de testículo, índices tubulossomático e leydigossomático e valores de proporção volumétrica referentes à túnica própria, epitélio seminífero, vaso sanguíneo e vaso linfático. Foi encontrada diferença entre T1 e T3 em relação aos túbulos seminíferos e ao espaço intertubular.

The effects of royal jelly on the morphophysiological parameters of mice (Mus musculus) testicles were studied. Fifty-eight male Swiss mice were evaluated. They were four-month old and were randomly distributed in six treatments: T1: physiological solution, intraperitonial route; T2: 0.1mg of royal jelly, intraperitonial route; T3: 0.2mg of royal jelly, intraperitonial route; T4: distilled water, orally; T5: 0.1mg of royal jelly, orally; and T6: 0.2mg of royal jelly, orally. After 45 days of supplementation with royal jelly, the animals were weighted, slaughtered, and the testicles collected, included in paraffin, and stained with haematoxylin-eosin. No differences among treatments were observed for: body and testicular weights, gonadossomatic index, tubular diameter, epithelial height, total length of seminiferous tubules, tubular length per testicle gram, tubulossomatic and leydigossomatic indexes and the value of volumetric proportion related to tunic, seminiferous epithelium, blood vessel, and lymphatic vessel. Differences between T1 and T3 about the seminiferous tubules and intertubular space were found.