Background: The potential impact of aqueous extracts from Psidium guajava leaves on the reproductive system of female rabbits was evaluated. Methods: Twenty-eight rabbits, aged five to six months were utilized. Rabbits were divided into four groups and were randomly assigned to receive one of the following oral doses of the guava leaf extracts: 0 (control group), 10, 20, or 30 mg/kg of body weight. After a treatment period of 30 days, blood was collected via jugular venipunture and the serum was extracted for the assessment of serum biochemical traits levels. The females were bred and monitored throughout their pregnancy to ascertain reproductive outcomes. Results: The results indicated that the guava leaf extract significantly increased the body weight of the rabbits during both pre- and post-pregnancy compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The litter size at three weeks post-birth, prolificity rate, FSH, LH, and protein levels were notably higher (p < 0.05) at a dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight. The viability rate three weeks post-birth increased with escalating extract doses, and the highest values were observed at doses of 20 and 30 mg/kg of body weight (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that, the aqueous extract of guava leaves appears to stimulate the production of FSH, LH and enhance body weight, prolificity, and pregnancy outcomes in mammals. As such, it is suggested that a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight could be beneficial in improving the reproductive performance of female.

In veterinary medicine, anaesthesia is fundamental for many medical acts, as complementary tests or surgical procedures. This discipline has evolved enormously in recent years, both in terms of practices as well as in terms of materials and used molecules.The aim of the present study was to compare three anaesthetic protocols, using injectable anaesthesia Ketamine/xylazine/acepromazine, ketamine/xylazine, and ketamine/xylazine /meloxicam in rabbits. Nine adult males, Neo-Zealand breed rabbits, weighing between 2.5 and 3.5 Kg were randomly divided into three groups, housed indoor to accommodate the place of experiments to evaluate their effects on risk factors associated with peri-anaesthetic mortality, along with gastrointestinal complications, in order to establish a suitable anaesthetic protocol, coupled with continuous monitoring of the anaesthetized animal. The association of acepromazine, xylazine, and ketamine, which give a deep myorelaxation and remarkable analgesia, obtained the anaesthesia. Fixed products do not lead to any myorelaxation of the mandibular muscles. The addition of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug increased the effect of the peri-anaesthetic analgesia. The protocol using acepromazine, xylazine, and ketamine is the best schema for the potentiated general anaesthesia in rabbit, because of its insignificant effect on the intestinal motility.

This study was carried out to investigate the acute oral toxicity of Chamaecyparis obtusa (C. obtusa) essential oil (CBE) in New Zealand white male and female rabbits. Acute oral treatment with the CBE did not reveal any sign of toxicity or mortality in treated rabbits. The body weight of the rabbits was not affected after a single oral administration of the CBE during the 14-day observation period. In both the hematological and blood biochemical analysis, all parameters of the treated group with 2,000 mg/kg body weight of the CBE were not significantly different than those of the control group. Therefore, the lethal dose 50 of the CBE was estimated to be greater than 2,000 mg/kg body weight in rabbits, which indicated that the CBE is non-toxic. In conclusion, this study suggests that oral administration of the CBE is safe on rabbits.

A saccular aneurysm is a localized, pouch arterial abnormality, Varous kinds of experimental saccular aneurysm models have been developed to treat aneurysms, and more effective ways to create aneurysm model is also needed. This study aims to compare aneurysm models induced by either porcine pancreatic elastase or papain from papaya latex. Eleven New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three treatment groups: normal saline (n=3), papain (n=4), and elastase (n=4). The right common carotid artery was selected as the aneurysmal site, and the respective substance was incubated for 20 minutes. No neurological signs occurred after operation. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and modified elastic trichrome stain were performed 2 weeks after the procedure for pathological analysis. Histological findings for the control group showed normal vascular wall structure, normal elastic fiber, and no signs of inflammation. In samples of the papain group, the vascular walls were damaged and the endothelium was detached. Most of the elastic fibers were destructed. All samples of the papain group showed elastic fragmentation. In the elastase group, all samples showed severe inflammation and destruction of the vascular structure. There was also an elastase-induced sterile abscess. These findings indicate that elastase does not induce stable aneurysms at a dose of 1 mg because of excessive inflammation and destruction of the vascular structure. Elastase induces inflammation and apoptosis which results in the vascular wall to weaken before an aneurysm is formed. Papain at the dose of 1 mg, in contrast, seems to be a suitable candidate for enzymatic aneurysm models in the rabbit.

Experiments were conducted in order to assess the healing effect of bee venom (BV) cream on full-thickness skin wounds in rabbits. BV cream was compared with silver sulfadiazine (SS) as a topical medicament against a control on experimentally created full-thickness wounds. Two wounds measuring 2 × 2 cm were created bilaterally (four wounds/rabbit) on the dorsolateral aspect of the trunk of seven New Zealand white rabbits. Wound treatments were evenly distributed on four sites, using a Latin square design. The contact layer of wounds was treated with physiological saline (control), SS cream, and BV cream over a period of 28 days. Assessment of wound healing was based on scab hardness, wound exudates, wound area, unepithelialized granulation tissue, and histopathological findings. Topical application of BV and SS creams to wounds resulted in reduced inflammation, debridement of necrotic tissue, and promoted granulation and epithelialization. Wound healing was faster, with statistical significance in BV and SS treatments, compared to the control (P<0.05). Treatment with BV evoked an anti-inflammation effect in a rabbit model. BV cream produced a wound healing effect similar to that of commercially available SS cream. Anti-inflammation effect as a topical treatment with BV cream appears to be better than that with SS cream. These results suggest that topical application of BV cream may be an alternative treatment for full-thickness skin wounds.

Effects of carnitine on atherosclerosis and steatosis of hypercholesterolemic rabbits induced by a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) containing 0.5% cholesterol and 2.0% corn oil were investigated. Male New Zealand white rabbits with hypercholesterolemia (blood cholesterol 1,000-1,500 mg/dl) induced by two-week feeding a HCD, were fed a HCD containing 0.008 or 0.075% L-carnitine for an additional eight weeks. Feeding a HCD for 10 weeks resulted in severe atheromatous change, covering 55.7% of the aortic walls, in addition to profound hepatic steatosis. However, carnitine supplementation resulted in recovery of the increased low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides and a decrease in the levels of high-density lipoproteins following HCD feeding, although the increased cholesterol concentration was not potentially attenuated. Notably, carnitine induced a marked reduction of the atheroma area and hepatic lipid accumulation as well as lipid peroxidation. The results of this study indicated that carnitine exerted anti-atherosclerotic and fatty liver-preventing activities through blockade of lipid peroxidation and regulation of lipid metabolism.

The purpose of this study was to observe the histopathologic reaction in vital bone to various surface treated implants. For this purpose, ten New Zealand Albino rabbits, weighing 3.3 to 4kg were used as experimental animals. All the experimental groups divided into five groups; 1) Machined surface as control, 2) RBM(resorbable blast media), 3) RBM etched nitric acid solution, 4) RBM etched sodium hydroxide solution, 5) RBM etched acid, alkali, and heat treated group on each. All the surfaces of implants were examined under the scannning electron microscope to distinguish the differences between each experimental groups compare to that on the control group. All the rabbits were implanted into the tibial metaphyses of rabbits. On the 4th and 8th week after implantations, all the experimental rabbits were sacrificed. All the tissues containing each implanted materials were fixed in ethyl alcohol, and embedded in spurr resin as usual manner, sectioned in 10μm or more thickness, grinded, stained with the Villanuevaʼs osteochrome bone stain method and examined histopatholgically. For the fluorescence microscopic examination, three kind of fluorescence dyes, Oxytetracycline, Alizarin-Complexone, and Xylenol-Orange were injected to put into the bone to implant interface produced polychromatic fluorescence labelling on the 1st week, 2nd week, and 5th week on each. On the 8th week after experiments, the animals sacrificed, and the tissues containing the implants were taken, fixed in ethyl alcohol and embedded in spurr resin, sectioned, grounded 10um in thickness and examined under the fluorescence microscope. Following results were obtained; On the scanning electron microscopic examination of the implants, dull cracks, continuous linear indentations were revealed on the machined surface implant, irregular multiple leaflike eruptions on the RBM, and more sharp porous indentation with multiple complicated c rack s on the RBM acid etched surface, and more dull margins on complicated porous indentation on the RBM alkalic etched surface and more dull and less indented particles were noted on the RBM, acid, alkalic etched, heat treated surface, On the histopathologic examination, on the 4th week after experiment, complete osseointegation was noted between the implant and cortical bone on the collar and the apex lesion. and in parts, small newly formed bone spicules directly attached to the screws, and osteoid tissues were revealed in marrow tissues, in all experimental groups. On the histopathologic examination, on the 8th week after experiment, osseointegration is more increased compare to that on the 4th week group, the amount of bone trabeculae and osteoid tissues directly fused to screw of implants were markedly increased. On fluorescence examination, band or linear shape was witnessed on the boarder of compact bone and marrow tissues, and on bone trabeculae according to the formed age. and precipitated as granular and globular shape on the haversian canals. These results indicate that the surface treated method used for the present study render the implants compatible to bone tissue but the tissue compartibility is not different among the surface treated implants.

Sixteen clinically healthy New Zealand white rabbits of either sex were divided into two equal groups I and II of 8 animals each. Under thiopental sodium (2.5%) anaesthesia a linear full thickness abdominal wall defect of 3 cm in length was created and repaired with continuous suture pattern using 3000 filaments of carbon fibres and 1~0 black braided nylon suture, ingroup I and II respectively. Increased vascularity was observed in carbon fibres (group I) and on day 30 the carbon fibres were covered by white fibrous tissue. Significantly higher (P < 0.05) values of glucose was seen on day 14 in group I, whereas, decrease in glucose value was observed in group II. Histopathologically, the carbon fiber implant induced extensive fibrous tissue (collagen fiber) reaction. Negligible inflammatory cells in the stroma indicate the host tissue tolerance to carbon fibers. Histochemically, gradually increased alkaline phosphatase activity up to day 14 in group I, suggested the proliferation of fibroblasts in early stages.

MT-GHR(Growth hormone receptor)와 MT-IGF-IR(IGF-1 receptor)유전자를 구축하고 micromani-pulator를 이용하여 토끼 수정란에 유전자를 주입하여 형질전환토끼를 생산하였다. 본 연구에서의 형질전환토끼의 생산효율은 약 3%를 나타내었고 Growth Hormone receptor(GHR)를 가진 형질전환 토끼와 IGF-1 receptor(IGF-lR)를 가진 형질전환토끼를 10마리 이상씩 생산하였다. 또한 정상 토끼와 교배시켜 F₁ 새끼를 얻어 유전자가 다음세대에도 전달되는 것을 확인하였다. GHR 이나 IGF-1R 형질전환토끼의 성장률은 정상토끼보다는 약15∼25% 정도 빠른 경향을 나타냈고 특히 GHR 형질전환토끼의 성장률이 더 높은 것으로 드러나 GHR 및 IGF-lR유전자가 형질전환토끼에서 성장에 영향을 주었다는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

With a rabbit model, the present study was performed to examine the effect of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (E. coli LPS) on hormones. Cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine concentrations in LPS-treated groups were high at all sampling periods (from 3 hrs to 72 hrs) as compared to control group (p$lt;0.05 or p$lt;0.01). The each peak time was at respectively 24 hrs, 3 hrs, and 12 hrs. Insulin and glucagon concentrations in LPS-treated groups elevated up to 12 hrs (p$lt;0.01 or p$lt;0.05) with a each peak point at 12 hrs or 6 hrs, while those of the rest sampling points (from 24 hrs to 72 hrs) were lower than that of control (p$lt;0.05). Increase of cortisol concentration was generally dose-dependent, whereas the changes of the other hormones were irregular patterns. These observations show that E. coli LPS lead to releases of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine and disturbances of endocrine systems. These LPS-induced hormonal disorders may cause physiologically fatal results.

To investigate the effects of bacterial endotoxin on lipids and cytokines, and to explain the relationships between their changes, we carried out this study using experimentally Escherichia coli (E. coli) endotoxin-induced septicemic rabbits. The triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in endotoxin groups were generally high (p$lt;0.01 or 0.05) at all sampling time points (from 3hr to 24 hr), while phospholipid concentrations in endotoxin groups elevated in dose-dependent fashion at 3hr and 6hr after endotoxin injection compared to control group (p$lt;0.05). There were significant negative correlations between lipids changes and cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) each other (p$lt;0.05), and endotoxic rabbits having higher triglyceride of cholesterol levels shown relatively better conditions compared with others. As a result, the alterations in the lipid compositions caused by endotoxin may imply an active exhibition of the host defense mechanism rather than the disturbances of lipid metabolism.

본 연구는 토끼난자에 있어서 배란 후 경과시간에 따른 탈핵률을 조사하고 ionomycin과 DMAP을 사용하여 활성화와 아울러 자체 탈핵을 유도하는 방법을 고안하였으며 아울러 이들의 탈핵효율과 핵이식후 체외발달을 확인한 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. hCG 주사후 15∼16 시간에 채란된 토끼난자는 73.4%의 탈핵률을 보였고, 16∼17시간에는 75.8%, 19∼20 시간에는 58.5%의 탈핵률을 보여 토끼난자의 탈핵은 hCG 주사후 17시간 이내에 실시

This experiment was carried out to investigate the factors affecting superovulation in rabbits and to determine the effect of pFSH and PMSG on ovarian superovulatory responses and embryo production, and the effect of superovulation treatment with a single injection of pFSH dissolved in polyvinylpyrrolidone on the ovarian responses and the embryo quality. The results obtained were suonmerized as follows: Superovulatory response resulted in significantly (P<0.05) higher ovulation rates and more embryos in spring or autumn, compared with summer or winter. Repeated superovulatory treatments with PMSG leaded to a significantly(P<0.05) decreased number of total follicles and recovered ova. Superovulation with pFSH resulted in the higher number of ovulated follicles and recovered ova than with PMSG. A single subcutaneous injection of pFSH dissolved in 25% PVP resulted in the more ovulation points(33.2) and recovered embryos(30.2), which were comparable to the multiple injections of pFSH(44.8 vs 37.7).These results indicated that the treatment with a single injection of FSH dissolved in PVP was an efficient and simple alternative method to the conventional multiple FSH injections for superovulation in rabbits.

Large scale production of cloned embryos requires the technology of multiple generational nuclear transfer(NT) by using NT embryos itself as the subsequent donor nuclei. In this work we investigated comparatively the effects of enucleated oocytes treated with ionomycin and 6-DMAP on the electrofusion rate and in vitro developmental potential in the first and second NT embryos. The embryos of 16-cell stage were collected from the mated does by flushing oviducts with Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline(D-PBS) containing 10% fetal calf serum(FCS) at 47 hours after hCG injection. The recipient cytoplasms were obtained by removing the nucleus and the first polar body from the oocytes collected at 15 hours after hCG injection. The enucleated oocytes were pre-activated by 5 min incubation in 5M ionomycin and 2 hours incubation in 2 mM 6-DMAP at 19~20 hours post-hCG before microinjection. In the first and second generation NT, the unsynchronized 16-cell stage embryos were used as nuclear donor. The separated donor blastomeres were injected into the enucleated activated recipient oocytes by micromanipulation and were electrofused by electrical stimulation of single pulse for 60 sec at 1.25kV/cm in +, + - free 0.28 M mannitol solution. In the non-preactivation group, the electrofusion and electrical stimulation was given 3 pulses for 60 sec at 1.25 kV/cm in 100M +, + 0.28 M mannitol solution. The fused oocytes were co-cultured with a monolayer of rabbit oviductal epithelial cells in TCM-199 solution containing 10% FCS for 120 hours at 39 in a 5% incubator. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. In the first generational NT embryos, the electrofusion rate of preactivated and non-activated oocytes(80.4 and 87.8%) was not significantly different, but in the second generational NT embryos, the electrofusion rate was significantly(P<0.05) higher in the non-activated oocytes(85.7%) than in the preactivated oocytes(70.1%). 2) In the first and second generational NT embryos, the developmental potential to biastocyst stage was significantly(P<0.05) higher in the preactivated oocytes(39.3 and35.7%) than in the non-preactivated oocytes(16.0 and 13.3%). No significant difference in the developmental potential was shown between the first and second generational NT embryos derived from the preactivated oocytes. In conclusion, it may be efficient to use the oocytes preactivated with ionomycin and 6-DMAP for the multiple production of cloned embryos by recycling nuclear transfer.